Public holidays such as Eid Al Fitr are celebrated with fireworks in the UAE. Victor Besa / The National
Public holidays such as Eid Al Fitr are celebrated with fireworks in the UAE. Victor Besa / The National
Public holidays such as Eid Al Fitr are celebrated with fireworks in the UAE. Victor Besa / The National
Public holidays such as Eid Al Fitr are celebrated with fireworks in the UAE. Victor Besa / The National

UAE public holiday dates in 2025 predicted by leading astronomer


Salam Al Amir
  • English
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The Cabinet has announced national holidays for the public and private sector for next year.

While the precise dates according to the Gregorian calendar will not be confirmed until much nearer to the time, The National has spoken to leading astronomers for a clearer idea of when the holidays will fall.

For public holidays such as Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha, exact dates are confirmed by the UAE’s Moon-sighting committee in the days preceding the holidays.

But Ibrahim Al Jarwan, chairman of the Emirates Astronomical Society, explained the precision with which the lunar cycle position can be determined using astronomical calculations.

“We can accurately predict the new moon's position for up to 100 years in advance based on certain elements,” he told The National.

“However, an official confirmation is required from the Ministry of Justice despite the scientific accuracy.”

When are 2025's public holidays?

The first public holiday of 2025 will be New Year's Day on Wednesday, January 1, followed by Eid Al Fitr, the festival that marks the end of Ramadan.

Eid Al Fitr could fall between Monday, March 31, and Wednesday, April 2, astronomers at the Emirates Astronomical Society told The National.

Arafat Day is expected to fall on Friday, May 30, which would mean Eid Al Adha will fall from Saturday, May 31, to Wednesday, June 2.

Islamic New Year is expected to fall on Friday, June 27, while the Prophet Mohammed's birthday is expected to fall on Monday, September 1.

Meanwhile, Commemoration Day is set for Monday, December 1, while the public holidays for National Day will likely fall on Tuesday, December 2, and Wednesday, December 3.

The Cabinet has the authority to postpone any of the holidays, except for the Eid holidays, to either the beginning or end of the week to ensure extended weekends.

Holidays that coincide with other official holidays or weekends cannot be postponed.

Mr Al Jarwan said key elements in predicting the lunar cycle include the birth of the new Moon or its conjunction with the Sun, the new Moon's elevation above the horizon at sunset, the age of the new Moon at sunset and how long it remains above the horizon after sunset.

“There are other elements that are based on over 100 years of documented observations and more than 3,000 documented sightings from different parts of the world,” he said.

Watch: Eid al Fitr fireworks 2024

What is blockchain?

Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.

The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.

Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.

However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.

Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.

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