The UAE has announced that Friday, September 5 will be a public holiday for government employees to mark the birth of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

This means most government workers will enjoy a 3-day weekend, as Saturday and Sunday are already official days off in the UAE.

This special holiday falls on the 12th of Rabi Al Awwal, the date of the Prophet’s (PBUH) birthday in the Islamic calendar. The date was confirmed after the crescent moon was not seen on August 23, meaning the Islamic month of Safar would last 30 days and Rabi Al Awwal would begin on August 25.

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Interestingly, Saudi Arabia and the UAE will celebrate the occasion on different days this year because the moon was sighted a day earlier in the Kingdom. That’s a rare difference, as both countries usually mark Islamic holidays on the same day.

It’s also a reminder that the Hijri calendar is based on moon sightings, and the UAE moon sighting committee meets at the end of each Islamic month to determine when the next one begins.

In Sharjah, where Fridays are already part of the weekend, employees will still benefit from the extra holiday time.