UAE could get a long weekend in September and here's what to know
Under a Cabinet Resolution Concerning Public Holidays issued by the Cabinet in May, the UAE formalised the Prophet's Birthday as a national holiday, in keeping with the country's official public holiday calendar. Although the exact date will depend on moon-sighting (which determines the start of the Islamic month Rabi' al‑Awwal), current predictions place the holiday on either Thursday, September 4 or Friday, September 5, 2025.
Article (2) of Cabinet Resolution No. (27) of 2024 allows the UAE government to shift public holidays, excluding Eid, to the beginning or end of the week. If this applies, UAE residents may enjoy an extended three-day weekend, making it one of the year's most anticipated breaks.
If the holiday falls on Thursday, September 4, the day-off could be shifted to Friday and i f it lands on Friday, September 5, it will automatically create a three-day weekend (Friday–Sunday). Why it matters
The birthday of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is one of the most significant religious occasions for Muslims globally and is typically marked by cultural and spiritual celebrations.
Given how few public holidays remain in the UAE schedule, this one offers a rare opportunity for a mid-September pause. Long weekends are increasingly valued for travel, staycations, and unwinding. With short lead time to book flights or hotel breaks, early planning is key. Other 2025 holiday highlights
According to the Cabinet's official 2025 calendar:
UAE National Day, observed on December 2 and 3, may be extended depending on government decisions. What you should do Bookmark your calendar: The exact date will be confirmed closer to Rabi al‑Awwal.
Plan ahead: Whether you're looking at travel, rest, or family time, September offers a prime opportunity.
Stay flexible: Be prepared for official confirmation to land late—exact holiday assignments depend on the moon-sighting.
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The Palaeolithic PeriodThe museum experience starts with an introduction to the Palaeolithic period of human history, which began about 2.5 million years ago when early humans started using stone tools. 'By definition, it terminates at the end of the Ice Age, some 12,000 years BP [before present]. Archaeological finds of the earliest phases are only known from Africa, where the human species originated. A million years later, early humans had reached South Asia, probably passing through Arabia,' reads an inscription at the the stone artefacts unearthed from the area is a hand-axe found at Suhaila, estimated to have been made some 500,000 years ago. The Faya CaveAnother standout archaeological discovery from the Palaeolithic Period, or the Early Stone Age, is the Faya Cave. 'Layers from this time around 130,000 years ago have yielded the earliest known evidence for the appearance of 'Anatomically Modern Humans' outside the African continent.'This site has a natural attraction for visitors, not only today but also during many thousands of years in the past when early humans used it as a 'rock shelter' during the Ice Ages,' reads an inscription at the Age refers to any geologic period during which thick ice sheets cover vast areas of land. The most recent major ice age, known as the Great Ice Age or Pleistocene Epoch, spanned approximately 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago, according to Britannica. The Neolithic PeriodWhen it comes to the Neolithic Period, also known as the New Stone Age, the Mleiha area holds particular importance, especially in Southeast Arabia. 'When Neolithic people came to this region around 8,000 BCE, the cold and dry period of the last phase of the Ice Age was just over. During that time, nobody lived in the Inland Basin. The Neolithic people already had cattle, sheep and goats as livestock animals, but did not cultivate plants. … Careful excavations of funeral sites have provided insight into burial practices,' according to the from this period led a nomadic lifestyle and did not leave much architecture behind; however, hearths are the most important indicators of Neolithic life in the Inland Basin. Offering vital clues through carbon dating, fireplaces discovered in the Mleiha area are believed to have been left behind by its Neolithic inhabitants between 10,000 and 6,000 years ago. The Bronze Age When metal began to replace stone as material for tools starting around 3,200 BCE, a new era had emerged: the Bronze on key archaeological sites, this period is divided into sub-phases, including the Hafit phase after graves found at Jebel Hafit near Al Ain, the Umm an-Nar and Wadi-Sug phases, and a final phase known as the Late Bronze Age, offering insights into the transition from the Bronze to the Iron graves are mostly small cairns, circular monuments made of undressed stones with a small grave chamber inside. They are typically positioned along mountain crests. At Emeilah, large Hafit graves were found at the foot of the Jebel, which are collective graves presumably for the Umm an-Nar phase, tombs reflect perfect masonry and feature multiple large Umm an-Nar Tomb close to the Mleiha Archaeological Centre is among the major funeral sites in the area, constructed around 2300 BCE. Used for approximately 200 years, it's among the largest sites from the Umm an-Nar period across Southeast Wadi-Suq phase, from around 2,000 BCE onward, sees the uniformity of funerary monuments start to change. 'Strict burial rules do not exist anymore, and tomb shapes become quite variable. The idea of collective graves continues, but their architecture is different in comparison to that of previous ones,' according to information displayed at the highlight of the era was the oasis culture. The Mleiha plain was very suitable for oasis culture, which not only allowed for the harvest of agricultural plants and fruits all year round but also for the storage of them. Since these times, dates have become the most important staple food. 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