After weeks of speculation—and a flurry of annual leave requests—the UAE Cabinet and Saudi authorities have now clarified when offices will shut for Eid Al-Adha. Barring an unexpected shift in the lunar calendar, most residents will enjoy a long weekend from Thursday 5 June to Sunday 8 June.
The UAE’s official holiday calendar grants workers paid leave from 9 to 12 Dhu Al-Hijjah, which correspond this year to Arafat Day on Thursday 5 June, followed by Eid Al-Adha on Friday 6 June and the two Tashreeq days on Saturday and Sunday. Regular office hours resume on Monday 9 June. The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources confirmed that both public- and private-sector staff share the same dates, continuing a policy first introduced in 2019.
Riyadh’s Supreme Court has asked citizens to look for the new crescent on the evening of Tuesday 27 May. If the moon is sighted—as astronomers widely expect—Dhu Al-Hijjah will begin on Wednesday 28 May, placing Arafat Day on 5 June and Eid on 6 June. By statute, private- and non-profit-sector employees receive four paid days off (9–12 Dhu Al-Hijjah), matching the UAE’s Thursday-to-Sunday window. The Saudi Central Bank has already told commercial lenders to close from Thursday 5 June through Tuesday 10 June, hinting that some government departments could take a longer recess.
Circle 5-8 June 2025 on your calendar. Whether you’re catching the last tail-end of spring in Europe, performing the Hajj rites, or simply enjoying a staycation, those four days are officially yours to unplug.
