How the Prophet’s Birthday holiday moved to Friday
The Prophet Muhammad’s birthday falls on the 12th of Rabi Al Awwal. In 2026 it was expected on Tuesday 25 August, subject to moon sighting. Instead of giving a mid-week day off, the UAE public holiday was transferred by the Cabinet to Friday 28 August, creating a three-day weekend for employees on a Saturday and Sunday weekend.
The rule behind the move
The Cabinet’s authority comes from Article 2 of Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024, which lets it shift public holidays to the start or end of the relevant week. Eid holidays are excluded. A transfer is never automatic: it takes a Cabinet decision. See the full rule in our transfer rule guide.
What neighbouring states did
| Country | Holiday date |
|---|---|
| UAE (public and private sectors) | Friday 28 August |
| Oman (public employees) | Thursday 27 August |
| Kuwait (government entities) | Thursday 27 August |
| Bahrain | Tuesday 25 August |
For the announcement itself, see our federal holiday report. Schools and universities began the 2026-27 year on Monday 31 August, straight after the break.
