Private sector employees in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will enjoy a long holiday vacation to mark Eid al-Adha after the dates were confirmed in both countries on Monday.
In Saudi Arabia, employees in the private and non-profit sectors will enjoy a four-day holiday starting from the Day of Arafat, which will fall on Tuesday June 27, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development said on Twitter.
Employees will enjoy the vacation in addition to the two-day weekend on Friday and Saturday, which can mean that some employees will have Sunday July 2, as the fourth day off.
As for the UAE, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization announced that the private sector employees will enjoy a public paid holiday from June 27 until Friday June 30, in addition to the Saturday-Sunday weekend.
The decision comes after Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court announced on Sunday the sighting of the Dhul Hijjah crescent, signaling the beginning of the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah, one of the holiest months in the Islamic calendar.
With the crescent’s sighting, Eid al-Adha will be observed on June 28.
Eid al-Adha, known as the “Feast of Sacrifice,” is a revered observance that coincides with the final rites of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
Hajj, which will begin on June 26, is considered to be the world’s largest religious gathering with the Hajj season expected to see millions of pilgrims flock to the holy city of Mecca.
Source: Alarabiya