UAE Holidays 2023: Know, all National, Public, and Bank Holidays in the United Arab Emirates

In the last few decades, UAE has emerged as one of the most prolific job destinations in the world. According to data of multiple job portals, more than 75% of job seekers ranked UAE as one of their most preferred job locations in the world. A large number of people from countries like India and Pakistan currently working in the UAE. If you are also working or just living in UAE then you must know the UAE Holidays 2023.

With the help of the UAE Holidays list 2023, you can plan your work-life balance in a much better way. Go through this post to know and note down the UAE public holidays 2023.

List of National Holidays in United Arab Emirates (UAE) 2023

Let’s go through the list of national holidays in the United Arab Emirates in the year 2023. For future references, you may take a printout of the UAE Holidays List 2023 PDF.

Observances and Seasons in UAE

Observances are those days in which there is no national holiday. However, many institutes, organizations, and departments observe holidays. The list of observances in UAE in the year 2023 are as follows.

• 18th February – Saturday – Leilat al-Meiraj (The Prophet’s Ascension) (Tentative Date)
• 23rd March – Thursday – Ramadan Start (Tentative Date)
• 20th June – Tuesday – Hajj Season Begins
• 31st December – Sunday – New Year’s Eve

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Details of Important Holidays in UAE in 2023

The details of a few of the important holidays in UAE in the year 2023 are as follows.

• Eid Al Fitr – EI Al-Fitr is a holiday observed in UAE and other countries with significant Muslim populations. This day marks the end of the Islamic month of Ramadan. In the month of Ramadan, Muslims observe fast. This is the reason why Eid Al-Fitr is also called the ‘Feast of Breaking the Fast’.

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), on the occasion of Eid Al Fitr, men would typically buy new Kandora (traditional white long robe) or dye their existing Kandoras with walnut oil. Women, on the other hand, wear special cloth along with special perfumes.

• Arafat (Hajj) Day –  Arafat day is the 2nd day of the Hajj Pilgrimage and it is observed a day before the first day of the major Islamic holiday of Eid Al-Adha. You should also note that Arafat day is celebrated on the 9th Day of Dhu Al-Hijjah which is the twelfth and the final month according to the Islamic calendar.
• Eid Al Adha – Eid Al-Adha is celebrated in the honor of the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismail to obey Allah’s command. Before Ibrahim could sacrifice his son, God saved him and provided him with a lamb to sacrifice. On this day, animals are sacrificed and one-third of meat is consumed by the family and the rest of the meat is distributed among the poor and needy.
• Al Hijra – Al-Hijra is celebrated on the first day of the month of Muharram. This day marked the event when Prophet Muhammed moved from Mecca to Medina to set up the first Islamic state. By leaving his home city, it is said that the Prophet Muhammed showed the world that Faith is bigger than family.
• Mouloud – The literal meaning of Mouloud is “The Birth”. Mouloud is a national and bank holiday in the United Arab Emirates. This day is celebrated as the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (Mawlid al-Nabi). It is celebrated on the 12th day of the Islamic month of Rabi’ al-awwal. On the other hand, Shi’a Muslims mark this day on the 17th day of Rabi’ al-awwal.
• National Day – The national day of UAE is celebrated on 2nd December 2023. On this day, the emirates declared independence from the British and became the United Arab Emirates. Many cultural fests and dances are organized in the country on this day. Some of the common activities on this day are Fireworks, car rallies, and dance shows.

Please note that the exact dates of festivals can vary according to the sighting of the moon. That’s why we have mentioned “Tentative” in front of many festivals and occasions dates. If you think any of the dates provided in this post is not correct then do let us know in the comment section. You may also share your feedback and suggestions.

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