Eid holiday dates announced for public-sector workers in UAE

Government employees across the country will benefit from four days of holiday

Rohingya Muslims pray on a street during Eid Al Adha celebrations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. EPA

Rohingya Muslims pray on a street during Eid Al Adha celebrations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. EPA

Filipinos pray during an Eid Al Adha prayer service in Zamboanga city, southern Philippines. EPA

A Filipino mother carries a baby as she attends an Eid Al Adha prayer service in Zamboanga city, southern Philippines. EPA

Filipinos pray during an Eid Al Adha prayer service in Zamboanga city, southern Philippines. EPA

Indonesians pray during an Eid Al Adha prayer service in Medan, Indonesia. EPA

Indonesians attend a morning prayer celebrating the Eid Al Adha festival at the Baiturrahman mosque in Banda Aceh. EPA

A Muslim girl walks as she attends Eid Al Adha prayers on a street in Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters

Indonesian Muslims offer Eid Al Adha prayers on a street in Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters

An Indonesian man takes pictures as he attends Eid Al Adha prayers on a street in Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters

Muslims offer Eid Al Adha prayers at a mosque in Shanghai, China. Reuters

A Chinese flag is seen as Muslims celebrate Eid Al Adha at a mosque in Shanghai, China. Reuters

Muslims offer Eid Al Adha prayers at a mosque in Shanghai, China. Reuters

Muslims listen to a sermon during a gathering for congregational Eid Al Adha prayers at a park in Sydney. Reuters

Eid prayers at Zayed the Second Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Early morning Eid prayers take place at Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Eid prayers at Zayed the Second Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Early morning Eid prayers take place at Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Muslim pilgrims walk after they cast stones at a pillar symbolising the stoning of Satan, in a ritual called "Jamarat," the last rite of the annual hajj, on the first day of Eid Al-Adha, in Mina near the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. AP

A Thai Muslim man prays before the tomb of his relatives at a cemetery during the Eid Al Adha festival in Thailand's southern province of Narathiwat. AFP

An elder Thai Muslim man hands cash gifts to children during the Eid Al Adha festival in Thailand's southern province of Narathiwat. AFP

Thai Muslims pray before the tomb of their relatives at a cemetery during the Eid Al Adha festival in Thailand's southern province of Narathiwat. AFP

Muslims perform the Eid Al Adha morning prayer, in Amman, Jordan. EPA

Muslims perform the Eid Al Adha morning prayer, in Amman, Jordan. EPA

Muslims women wait to perform the Eid Al Adha morning prayer, in Amman, Jordan. EPA

Palestinian Muslims perform the Eid Al Adha morning prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, Islam's third most holy site, in the Old City of Jerusalem. AFP

A clown entertains Palestinians on the first day of Eid Al Adha near the Dome of Rock mosque at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, Islam's third most holy site, in the Old City of Jerusalem. AFP

Iraqi Sunni Muslims pray during the festival of Eid Al Adha at Um Al-Tabool mosque in central Baghdad, Iraq. EPA

Iraqis gather around the graves of relatives on the first day of the Eid Al Adha holiday in the capital Baghdad. AFP

Muslims perform Eid Al Adha prayers in front of the Muhammad al-Amin Mosque in downtown Beirut, Lebanon. EPA

Muslims perform Eid Al Adha prayers in front of the Muhammad al-Amin Mosque in downtown Beirut, Lebanon. EPA

Egyptian Muslims perform Eid Al Adha morning prayers in the village of Dalgamon, Tanta, some 120km north of Cairo, Egypt. EPA

Egyptian Muslims perform Eid Al Adha morning prayers in the village of Dalgamon, Tanta, some 120km north of Cairo, Egypt. EPA

Yemeni Muslims pray during an Eid Al Adha prayer service in Sana'a, Yemen. EPA

Yemeni Muslims pray during an Eid Al Adha prayer service in Sana'a, Yemen. EPA

Afghans offer congregational prayers during the holy festival of Eid Al Adha, in Kandahar, Afghanistan. EPA

Afghans offer congregational prayers during the holy festival of Eid Al Adha, in Kandahar, Afghanistan. EPA

A Bosnian Muslim Imam leads a prayer during the Muslim festival Eid Al Adha at a mosque in Kraljeva Sutjeska near Kakanj, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Reuters

Bosnian Muslims attend a prayer during the Muslim festival Eid Al Adha at a mosque in Kraljeva Sutjeska near Kakanj, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Reuters

Public-sector employees are set for a long weekend break from work after Eid Al Adha holiday dates were announced.

Those working in federal entities will get four days off starting Thursday, July 30 to Sunday, August 2.

Work will resume on Monday, August 3.

The announcement was made on Twitter by the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources.

The festival is the most important of two main holidays in the Muslim world. It begins on the 10th day of Dhu Al Hijjah, which is the 12th and final month in the Islamic calendar.

What is Eid Al Adha?

Al Adha means the sacrifice. The specific sacrifice this holiday is named after is explained in the Quran, which tells of how Prophet Ibrahim dreamt that God asked him to sacrifice his son, Ismail, as a test of his faith.

At first, Ibrahim dismissed the dream but it reoccurred several nights in a row. The prophet is said to have grappled with the decision but ultimately chose to submit to God's will as an indication of his commitment to faith.

The devil tried to dissuade him, telling him not to kill his son, but Ibrahim responded by throwing rocks at him. This act is now repeated by pilgrims at Hajj who throw stones at symbolic pillars.

Just before Ibrahim went to carry out God's command, God replaced his son with a goat and told him to sacrifice the animal instead. Now Muslims celebrate Eid by eating the halal meat of a sacrificed animal.

How is it celebrated and how might things be different this year?

Eid is a time when families and friends come together to celebrate, usually over a meal.

The day begins with early Eid prayers at a mosque and it is customary for a family to have a goat or sheep butchered at an abattoir. The meat is typically shared between themselves, their relatives and the underprivileged.

Families and friends visit each other and wear new clothes. Eidieh - a gift of money during Eid - is given to children and sweets are served.

This year, because of the coronavirus outbreak, traditions will likely be put on hold. Family gatherings will be restricted to limit the spread of Covid-19.

During Eid Al Fitr, authorities advised against sharing food and giving children cash.

Places of worship opened to the public on July 1 but restrictions remain in place to keep worshippers safe.

Though mosques have reopened for the five daily prayers, authorities have said Friday prayers - which typically draw a larger crowd - are not yet allowed.

It is unclear if Eid prayers will be permitted or Muslims will instead be encouraged to be carry them out at home, as they did for Eid Al Fitr.

Residents urged to opt for home deliveries and avoid Eid rush at abattoirs

Residents in Abu Dhabi have been urged to opt for home deliveries when ordering meat for Eid-al-Adha to avoid a rush at abattoirs amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Abu Dhabi City Municipality said slaughterhouses in the capital were expecting to receive up to 25,000 orders for livestock over the coming weeks.

To align with social distancing measures, customers can place their orders using two dedicated mobile applications, My Slaughter and Al Jazeera Slaughters.

Khalfan Al Muhairbi, section head of Abu Dhabi Slaughterhouses, said customers should take advantage of the contactless payment and order options to limit the spread of Covid-19.

Residents can also opt to collect their meat orders from the drive-through centres after placing an order online or through the app.