2024: Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha Celebrations Together

2024: Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha Celebrations Together
Photo by Izuddin Helmi Adnan / Unsplash

Get ready to mark your calendars because the next official public holiday in 2024 is going to be an exciting one! Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha will be celebrated together, creating the perfect opportunity for a well-deserved break.

Arafat Day falls on Dhul Hijjah 9, which is expected to be on Sunday, June 16. However, this date is dependent on the sighting of the moon closer to the time. Following Arafat Day is Eid Al Adha, the largest of the two holidays celebrated in Islam. This holiday falls on Dhul Hijjah 10 to 12, which is likely to correspond to Monday, June 17 to Wednesday, June 19 as a public holiday. Again, the confirmation of these dates is dependent on the sighting of the moon.

For those who have a Saturday and Sunday weekend, this means a five-day break with work resuming on Thursday, June 20. And for those who like to plan ahead, taking Thursday, June 20 and Friday, June 21 off as a holiday will give you a total of nine days of holiday bliss.

The Islamic calendar is based on lunar months, which means that confirmation of these dates in the Gregorian calendar depends on the sighting of the moon in a specific phase. We will have to wait for confirmation on these dates closer to the time from UAE officials.

Eid Al Adha is celebrated to honour Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son, as instructed by God. However, God intervened and sent a sheep to take his son's place. This story is commemorated on Eid Al Adha, which is marked with a few days off for both the public and private sectors.

So, get ready to celebrate and enjoy this upcoming public holiday in 2024. Keep an eye out for the moon sightings and mark your calendars for a well-deserved break.