We could be getting a nine-day weekend…

Calendars at the ready: a UAE astronomer has predicted the dates for Ramadan and Eid al Fitr 2024.

According to astronomical calculations, the holy month of Ramadan is expected to commence in less than six months’ time, on Monday, March 11, 2024.

If you’re wondering how many days off we’ll get for Eid al Fitr, the break runs from Ramadan 29 to Shawwal 3 on the Islamic Calendar (Hijri), which is likely to correspond to Monday, April 8 to Friday, April 12 in the Gregorian calendar.

If the astronomical predictions are accurate, those who have a Saturday and Sunday weekend will have a nine-day break with work resuming on Monday, April 15.

If the crescent moon isn’t sighted and it’s a 30-day Ramadan, Eid al Fitr will be a seven-day break, from Tuesday, April 8 to Friday, April 12.

Because the Islamic Calendar is based on lunar months — it means that for these dates to be confirmed in the Gregorian calendar (the traditional January to December version), there has to be a sighting of the moon in a very specific phase. We will have to wait for confirmation on these dates closer to the time from UAE officials.

What is Eid al Fitr?

Eid al Fitr is also known as the ‘Festival of Breaking of the Fast’ and is one of two official holidays celebrated in Islam. It is celebrated by Muslims worldwide and marks the end of Ramadan.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection and community. Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, which is the foundation of the religion. The pillars are the framework by which Muslims everywhere live, and Ramadan is considered the holiest time in the Islamic calendar. It is a time for prayer, reflection and religious devotion, to cleanse past sins and to focus on Allah through good deeds.

You can learn more about Ramadan here.

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