Eid al-Adha holiday to begin Sunday, Nov 6

The first day of the Eid al-Adha holiday is likely to be Sunday, Nov 6, the Dubai-based Islamic Crescent Observation Project said on Wednesday.

The group forecast that the Friday, Oct 28 would be the first day of the Dhu al-Hijjah month, state news agency WAM reported.

The annual celebration of Eid al-Adha falls on the 10th day of the 12th and final Islamic month – Dhu al-Hijjah. During the ‘festival of sacrifice’, Muslims honour the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) to sacrifice everything for his religion, including his own son Ismael.

The celebration last year fell on Monday, Nov 15 and was marked by a four-day holiday for public sector employees in the UAE. Staff in the private sector received a three-day holiday.

No government confirmation has been given for next month’s dates.