UAE Public Holidays 2026: The full list of predicted dates
The dates for the beginning of Ramadan 2026, the holy month of fasting, have been predicted by astronomers also. Calculations are telling us that it will begin on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. The date is set to mark the first day of Ramadan in the Hijri year 1447. This would then lead to Eid Al Fitr beginning on March 20. Official moon sightings will give the exact dates, however we'll need to wait until much closer to the time for that. New Year's Day: Thursday, January 1
Thursday, January 1 Eid Al Fitr: Friday, March 20 to Sunday, March 22
Friday, March 20 to Sunday, March 22 Arafat Day: Tuesday May 26
Tuesday May 26 Eid Al Adha: Wednesday May 27 to Friday May 29
Wednesday May 27 to Friday May 29 Islamic New Year: Monday June 15 (official day to fall on Tuesday June 16, holiday moved to start of the week)
Monday June 15 (official day to fall on Tuesday June 16, holiday moved to start of the week) The Prophet Muhammad's Birthday (PBUH): Monday August 24 (official day to fall on Tuesday August 25, holiday could possibly be moved to start of the week)
Monday August 24 (official day to fall on Tuesday August 25, holiday could possibly be moved to start of the week) National Day: Tuesday December 1 and Wednesday December 2 Can public holidays be moved?
If they fall in the middle of the week, a new law was brought in that public holidays can be moved to the start or the end of the week to allow for a long weekend however this does not apply to Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha.
A public holiday cannot be carried forward if it lands on the date of another public holiday either, however this doesn't apply to the ones in 2026.
Thinking about school holidays? The academic calendars have been released and the key dates are here.
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UAE Public Holidays 2026: The full list of predicted dates
While the UAE public holiday dates for 2026 have not been officially announced yet, and many of them will be dependent on moon sightings, we can absolutely predict the dates of them so you can possibly start booking those holidays. The dates for the beginning of Ramadan 2026, the holy month of fasting, have been predicted by astronomers also. Calculations are telling us that it will begin on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. The date is set to mark the first day of Ramadan in the Hijri year 1447. This would then lead to Eid Al Fitr beginning on March 20. Official moon sightings will give the exact dates, however we'll need to wait until much closer to the time for that. New Year's Day: Thursday, January 1 Thursday, January 1 Eid Al Fitr: Friday, March 20 to Sunday, March 22 Friday, March 20 to Sunday, March 22 Arafat Day: Tuesday May 26 Tuesday May 26 Eid Al Adha: Wednesday May 27 to Friday May 29 Wednesday May 27 to Friday May 29 Islamic New Year: Monday June 15 (official day to fall on Tuesday June 16, holiday moved to start of the week) Monday June 15 (official day to fall on Tuesday June 16, holiday moved to start of the week) The Prophet Muhammad's Birthday (PBUH): Monday August 24 (official day to fall on Tuesday August 25, holiday could possibly be moved to start of the week) Monday August 24 (official day to fall on Tuesday August 25, holiday could possibly be moved to start of the week) National Day: Tuesday December 1 and Wednesday December 2 Can public holidays be moved? If they fall in the middle of the week, a new law was brought in that public holidays can be moved to the start or the end of the week to allow for a long weekend however this does not apply to Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha. A public holiday cannot be carried forward if it lands on the date of another public holiday either, however this doesn't apply to the ones in 2026. Thinking about school holidays? The academic calendars have been released and the key dates are here. > Sign up for FREE to get exclusive updates that you are interested in
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Muhammad Becomes the Most Popular Newborn Baby Name in England, Wales for 2nd Time
For the second consecutive year, Muhammad has been named the most popular baby name for boys in England and Wales, according to new data released by the UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS). In 2024 alone, more than 5,721 baby boys were named Muhammad, marking a 23% increase compared to 2023. The name Muhammad, which means 'praiseworthy' or 'commendable' in Arabic, holds deep religious and cultural significance, as it is most famously associated with the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam. Its continued popularity in the UK underscores the growing influence of multicultural communities across the region. While 'Muhammad' tops the official chart, it's important to note the many spelling variations of the name. The variant 'Mohammed' ranked as the 21st most popular boy's name in 2024, while 'Mohammad' placed 53rd. Altogether, there are over 30 known English spellings of the name, which helps explain its widespread presence across baby name statistics. The name Muhammad first entered the top 100 baby names in England and Wales during the mid-1980s, and 'Mohammed' had already broken into the top 100 back in 1924, making the name's journey in the UK both long-standing and increasingly significant. Other popular Muslim names for boys in 2024 included Yusuf (ranked 69th), Musa (73rd), Ibrahim (76th), and Yahya (93rd). These names, rich in Islamic heritage and meaning, further illustrate the expanding diversity in naming trends throughout the country. Muslim girl names have also made a notable impact on the top 100 list. Layla ranked 56th, followed closely by Maryam (57th) and Fatima (76th). These names reflect both religious roots and growing mainstream appeal. The rise in the popularity of Muhammad and other Muslim names highlights the changing demographics and evolving cultural landscape of England and Wales. As society becomes more inclusive and multicultural, naming trends like these reflect the values and heritage of an increasingly diverse population.
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The cold truth
While still living in the village of Chemlan in Lebanon's Chouf mountains, we had an old-fashioned wooden ice cream bucket with a handle to turn a tall metal container. We used to put our ice cream mixture into the container, place it in the bucket, surround it with ice sprinkled with salt and turn until frozen. Homemade ice cream was far more delicious and fun than driving to the town of Aley where a shop sold twenty types of ice cream, including yellow melon and mulberry as well as standard flavours vanilla and chocolate. We left the bucket behind when we became refuges in Cyprus during Lebanon's civil war. Several years ago, I was in Damascus' ancient Souq al Hamadiyah waiting for a shopkeeper to wrap up a parcel when I saw a riotous gathering further down the street. I wondered if this was a political or economic protest as Syria was experiencing hard times and went to see what was happening. The 'riot' was outside the Bakdash parlour where customers had gathered to buy ice cream. Founded in 1895, Bakdash is famous for its traditional mastic-flavoured ice cream manually churned with wooden paddles. The milk-cream-mastic mixture was initially chilled with ice brought from the mountains. In 2013, Bakdash opened a branch in Amman to serve Syrians settled there and the wider community. Earlier I had witnessed a smaller crowd at an ice cream parlour in the residential Karrada quarter of Baghdad. During May 2017, this proved to be a deadly location when a Daesh suicide bomber killed 26 people and wounded dozens as they broke the Ramadan fast with ice cream. While in Aleppo in Syria, I have always paused at Mahrosa to enjoy a dish of milk pudding topped with vanilla ice cream sprinkled with crushed pistachios. My driver, Joseph, could not visit Aleppo without this ice cream fix at this parlour although there are dozens more ice cream shops in the city, Syria's commercial hub. Ice cream has long been a global food just as coffee has become a global beverage. While coffee, which originated in Yemen, is prepared and served in multiple ways, the basic ice cream recipe is the same. It includes milk, cream, and sugar and multiple flavourings and fruits. Frozen desserts long predate coffee. Historians suggest they first appeared in 550BC in Persia, which had a very sophisticated and advanced civilisation. A first century AD Roman cookbook included recipes for deserts chilled with snow. Between the 8th-12th centuries the Japanese made a desert with flavoured syrup and ice shaved from blocks stored during the winter months. During China's Tang dynasty (618-907) a frozen goat's milk dish frozen called 'susan' became popular. During the Yuan dynasty (1206-1368), imperial chefs made another frozen dessert called 'iced cheese' flavoured with fruit, honey and wine. Legend holds that Moghul Emperor Kublai Khan gave the recipe to the Italian Silk Road traveller Marco Polo (1254-1324) who took it back to Italy. In the 16th century, India's Moghul rulers brought ice from the Hindu Kush mountains to make kulfi, a dish made with cream flavoured with saffron, cardamom, rose water, or mango which remains popular today in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Gulf. The 17th century saw ice cream introduced to France and England while the confection crossed the Atlantic to North America and was consumed by founding fathers of the United States George Washington, Tomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin. In 1866, ice cream reached New Zealand. Ice cream became popular around the world during the first half of the 20th century after hosts of vendors produced and promoted their own varieties. Ice cream has even become a political weapon in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Ben & Jerry's, founded by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield in 1978 in the US state of Vermont has become a global brand. In July 2021, Ben & Jerry's announced it would end sales in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory and Israeli settlements which are illegal under international law. Ben & Jerry's argued sales in Palestinian lands is inconsistent with the values of the firm which supports a number of charities as well as action to counter global warming. The Republican Trump administration is currently using ice cream imports as a means to condemn rival Democrats. The office of the US Trade Representative wrote on July 20 on X, 'America had a trade surplus in ice cream in 2020 under President [Donald] Trump's leadership, but that surplus turned into a trade deficit of $40.6 million under President [Joe] Biden's watch.' The ice cream deficit is with Japan, South Africa, the European Union, Brazil, Canada, and Turkey. Although from these countries, imports count for a small portion of ice cream consumed in the US which remains a major exporter. From 1995 to 2020, ice cream exports earned the US from $20 million to $160 million, according to the online platform Observatory of Economic Complexity. The chief customers were Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Canada. In 2021 and 2022 the surplus disappeared and an ice cream deficit of $92 million and $32 million appeared. Italy has become the chief provider of imported ice cream. However, imports amounted to a tiny fraction, 0.18 per cent of the total, in 2024 while the US exported about 1 percent of total domestic production, 1.31 billion gallons during that year. Meanwhile, US individual consumption of ice cream has fallen from 8.3 kilos a year in 1975 to 5.3 kilos by 2023. Photo: Reuters
