The end of Ramadan could be marked by about a week off work for many people.
The holy month is fast approaching, with the first day expected to fall on Saturday, April 2.
It will last for either 29 or 30 days, depending when the new moon is sighted, as the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle.
The task of spotting it falls to the moon-sighting committee — a group of astronomers, court officials and advisers from the country's Islamic authority — which call the start and the end of the holy month after seeing the new crescent.
The end of Ramadan will be marked by a holiday for both the public and private sectors, which starts on the 29th day of Ramadan and lasts until the third day of Shawwal, the 10th month.
That means the holiday will probably begin on Sunday May 1 and end on Wednesday, May 4, if Ramadan is 29 days, giving many people a five-day break.
But it could extend to Thursday, May 5, stretching to six days, if Ramadan lasts 30 days.
The first week of Ramadan coincides with the second week of the spring school holidays, between the second and third terms. Once schools reopen, their operating hours will be reduced — probably to no more than six hours a day during the remainder of the month.
Ramadan will occur during the tourist season again and restaurants are expected to be able to serve diners without curtains or dividers.
Many bars continue to serve liquor, as long as patrons are respectful and entertainment is kept to a minimum.
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Men gather to sight the new crescent moon atop of Jebel Hafeet in Al Ain. EPA -
The UAE's Moon sighting committee announced that Monday, May 6, will be the first day of fasting for Ramadan. EPA -
A man helps his daughter to look through a telescope trying to sight the new crescent moon. EPA -
The International Astronomical Centre set up telescopes on Jebel Hafeet in Al Ain, one of the country's highest mountains. EPA -
They first spot the new moon using a telescope before confirming it with the naked eye. EPA -
Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic, or Hijri calendar, and the holy month for Muslims, who believe it is when the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed. EPA -
Men gather trying to sight the new crescent moon in Al Ain. EPA -
Men gather to sight the new crescent moon for the holy month of Ramadan during sandy weather at the peak of mount of Hafeet in Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates, 05 May 2019. Muslims around the world celebrate the holy month of Ramadan by praying during the night time and abstaining from eating, drinking, and sexual acts during the period between sunrise and sunset. Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and it is believed that the revelation of the first verse in Koran was during its last 10 nights. EPA -
Several countries have also announced the holy month will begin on May 6, including Saudi Arabia, Australia and Turkey. EPA -
The Islamic calendar is determined by moon phases, which are either 29 or 30 days long, with the appearance of a new moon signaling the beginning of a month. EPA -
The Moon sighting committee will reconvene on the 29th day of Ramadan to search for a glimpse of the new crescent moon, which will signal the start of Eid Al Fitr. EPA
