Ramadan is set to fall in mid-February this year, as forecast by the Emirates Astronomy Society.
Ramadan will begin on February 18, 2026, according to Ibrahim Al Jarwan, chairman of the board of directors of the Emirates Astronomy Society.
Muslim holidays and observations tend to fall earlier with each passing year as the Islamic year, based on lunar cycles, is 10-12 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar year.
He also forecast that Eid Al Fitr will begin on March 20, and Eid Al Adha on May 27.
The Islamic New Year, or Hijri, is expected around June 17, heralding the year 1448 in the Islamic calendar.
Expected dates for next UAE public holidays
All public holiday dates will be announced by the authorities after confirmation from the UAE’s Moon-sighting committee but with some planning, residents could make the most of their paid public holidays to enjoy longer mini-breaks throughout the year.
In total, six strategic leave periods could result in up to 41 days off in 2026, using only about 14 days of annual leave.
This assumes that your annual leave calculations are based on working days and not calendar days. When using working days for calculations, Friday and Monday off with a regular two-day weekend would only count as two days off. Employers following calendar-day calculations may count it as four days. The method is usually mentioned in your work contract.
Ramadan 2027
It may still be early, but according to initial astronomical projections, Ramadan in 2027 is likely to begin around Saturday, February 6, with Eid Al Fitr expected to fall around Monday, March 8.
This trend of observing Ramadan in the first two months of the Gregorian calendar is expected to continue until the early 2030s, before it cycles back to the end of the year.
