The Government of Ajman has announced that Friday, August 28th, will be an official public holiday for civil servants in Ajman to commemorate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and blessings).
The Human Resources Department of the Ajman government stated that all government institutions, departments, and institutes in the emirate will observe this holiday. Official work will resume on Monday, August 31st.
The birthday of Prophet Muhammad is included in the UAE's calendar of public holidays. The final dates of Islamic holidays are confirmed through official announcements, as they follow the lunar Hijri calendar.
Previously, the UAE confirmed that Friday, August 28th, would be a day off for both public and private sector employees to mark the birthday of Prophet Muhammad.
This break will provide most UAE employees with a three-day weekend, considering Saturday and Sunday are their usual days off. Furthermore, public sector employees in Sharjah already observe Friday as part of their holiday schedule.
This long weekend also falls during the last week of summer vacation in the UAE, as the 2026-27 academic year begins on August 31st.
Traditionally, the Prophet's birthday is celebrated on 12 Rabi' al-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar, in many Muslim countries, including those in the Arabian Gulf states.
After this holiday, residents can expect another extended break for the UAE National Day (Eid Al Etihad) in December. Since December 2nd and 3rd fall on a Wednesday and Thursday, most employees will receive a four-day break when combined with weekends, while residents of Sharjah can enjoy up to five days off thanks to their Friday-Saturday holiday.
A new law, effective at the beginning of 2025, allows certain public holidays to be moved to the beginning or end of the working week if they fall mid-week, giving people the opportunity to have longer continuous breaks.
The UAE Cabinet has the authority to shift certain public holidays—excluding Eid holidays—that fall mid-week to the beginning or end of the week, potentially creating longer breaks for residents.
Islamic holidays in the UAE are determined based on the Hijri calendar, which follows lunar observations. Each month begins after the sighting of the new moon. The UAE Moon Sighting Committee meets on the 29th day of each Hijri month to observe the crescent moon and announce the start of the next Islamic month.
