Latest news with #Shawal
Gulf Insider
19-03-2025
- Business
- Gulf Insider
Eid Al Fitr 2025: UAE Announces Private Sector Holiday
The UAE has announced dates for the Eid Al Fitr 2025 holiday for the private sector. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation confirmed private sector holiday for Eid Al Fitr will be either a four or five-day holiday depending on moon-sighting confirmation. A statement by the MOHRE said: 'We announce that from Sunday, March 30 to Tuesday, April 1, will be a paid holiday for all private sector employees across the country on the occasion of Eid Al Fitr. 'If the month of Ramadan concludes in the 30th day, the holiday will be extended to Wednesday, April, 2 2025. Eid Mubarak!' It means that: If the new crescent moon is sighted on the 29th day of Ramadan the holiday begins on the first day of Shawal and run until Shawwal 3. This holiday would correspond to Sunday, March 30 until Tuesday, April 1. Taking into account the typical weekend in the UAE, it would mean a four-day holiday If the moon is not sighted, Ramadan will be a day longer and total 30 days. In tis circumstance, Ramadan 30 will also be a holiday as well as the first three days of Shawwal. This would correspond to Monday, March 31 until Wednesday, April 2 being a holiday for the public and private sector The news tallies with the holiday for the public sector. The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) has issued a circular confirming the Eid Al-Fitr holiday for federal government employees will be from 1st to 3rd Shawwal 1446 AH, with work resuming on 4th Shawwal. FAHR noted that if Ramadan extends to 30 days, an additional public holiday will be granted on the 30th of Ramadan, effectively extending the Eid break. In its announcement, FAHR conveyed congratulations to the UAE government, citizens, residents, and the broader Arab and Islamic nations, expressing wishes for 'continued prosperity and well-being.' Also read: Eid Al Fitr 2025: UAE Public Sector Holidays Announced
Arabian Business
18-03-2025
- Arabian Business
Sharjah announces Eid Al Fitr 2025 holiday
Sharjah has announced Eid Al Fitr holiday dates for public sector workers in the Emirate. The Sharjah Human Resources Department (SHRD) revealed there will be a five or six-day break depending on the moon sighting. Sharjah government employees typically work a four-day week, with Friday to Sunday as days off. With a long weekend guaranteed, workers in the sector will have an extended break. Sharjah Eid Al Fitr 2025 A SHRD message on Instagram said: 'Sharjah Human Resources Department announced that the Eid Al Fitr holiday for Sharjah government departments, authorities and institutions will start from 1 to 3 Shawwal 1446 AH, corresponding to the Gregorian calendar. 'If the holy month of Ramadan completes 30 days, the 30th day of Ramadan will be considered an official holiday added to the Eid Al Fitr holiday. 'Official work will resume on 4 Shawwal 1446 AH, with the exception of those working on a shift system'. Therefore: If the new crescent moon is sighted on the 29th day of Ramadan the holiday begins on the first day of Shawal and run until Shawwal 3. This holiday would correspond to Friday, March 28 until Tuesday, April 1. Taking into account the typical weekend in Sharjah, it would mean a four-day holiday If the moon is not sighted, Ramadan will be a day longer and total 30 days. In this circumstance, Ramadan 30 will also be a holiday as well as the first three days of Shawwal. This would correspond to Friday, March 28 31 until Wednesday, April 2 being a holiday for the public sector in Sharjah
See - Sada Elbalad
10-03-2025
- Science
- See - Sada Elbalad
NRIAG: Shawal to Begin on March 30
Astronomical calculations by the National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG) have revealed that the first day of Shawal 1446 AH will be on Sunday, March 30, 2025, marking the beginning of Eid al-Fitr. The new moon of Shawal will appear immediately after the conjunction occurs at exactly 1:00 PM Cairo local time on Saturday, Ramadan 29, 1446 AH, corresponding to March 29, 2025 (the sighting day). The new crescent will remain visible in the sky of Mecca for 7 minutes and in Cairo for 11 minutes after sunset on the sighting day. In other governorates of Egypt, the new crescent will be visible for durations ranging between 9 and 12 minutes. As for Arab and Islamic capitals and cities, the new crescent will remain in the sky after sunset between 3 and 19 minutes.
Arabian Business
09-03-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
UAE Eid Al Fitr 2025 expected dates and how to maximise time off
Eid Al Fitr in the UAE is coming soon, with a long weekend holiday for public and private sector workers in the country. Eid Al Fitr is a holiday following the Holy Month of Ramadan and begins with the month of Shawwal. The holiday marks the end of the Ramadan fast and UAE legislation has confirmed the duration of the break. Eid Al Fitr in the UAE 2025 Cabinet Resolution No. (27) of 2024 Concerning the Public Holidays in the State confirms that Shawwal 1 to Shawwal 3 are given as holiday for the public and private sector in the UAE. This means a guaranteed three-day holiday, with the possibility of a fourth day, depending on moon-sighting. The Hriji calendar depends on moon-sighting to confirm official dates and this will be announced at the end of Ramadan. UAE legislation says that: 'In the event the Month of Ramadan completes (30) days, day (30) of Ramadan shall be deemed as an official holiday added to the Eid-Al-Fitr holiday'. This would mean the UAE will have a four-day Eid Al Fitr holiday. There are two options for public and private sector holidays for Eid Al Fitr 2025 in the UAE: If the new crescent moon is sighted on the 29 th day of Ramadan the holiday begins on the first day of Shawal and run until Shawwal 3. This holiday would correspond to Sunday, March 30 until Tuesday, April 1. Taking into account the typical weekend in the UAE, it would mean a four-day holiday If the moon is not sighted, Ramadan will be a day longer and total 30 days. In tis circumstance, Ramadan 30 will also be a holiday as well as the first three days of Shawwal. This would correspond to Monday, March 31 until Wednesday, April 2 being a holiday for the public and private sector Official dates will be announced by the UAE closer to the time. However, strategic holiday bookings can be made in advance to maximise time off. If Eid Al Fitr follows 29 days of Ramadan you can extend a four-day weekend into a nine-day holiday with just three days of annual leave. If Eid Al Fitr starts on Sunday, March 1 then a well-timed holiday booking can give a long break for just three days of annual leave. Book off Wednesday, April 2 until Friday, April 4 and you will have the time for longer holidays with reduced annual leave allowance. In the event of a longer Eid you can book Thursday, April 3 to Friday, April 4 off from work to get the longest possible break for the fewest days. If Eid Al Fitr falls after 30 days of Ramadan, you will be out of your workplace for nine consecutive days and use only two days of your annual leave allowance.
Al-Ahram Weekly
07-03-2025
- General
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Marking the beginning of Ramadan - Features - Al-Ahram Weekly
The start of the Muslim holy fasting month has always been a time of great festivity in Egypt, for both rulers and the ruled. On the evening of 28 February, the Dar Al-Iftaa in Cairo announced the conclusion of Shaaban, the eighth month of the Muslim lunar calendar. This meant that 1 March would be the first day of Ramadan, one of the holiest days for Muslims who observe a fast during the holy month from dawn to dusk for 29 or 30 days until the start of the 10th month of the Muslim calendar, Shawal, which marks the start of Eid Al-Fitr, the festival that ends the month of Ramadan. Shortly after the eishah [evening] prayers, the announcement was made on Egyptian Radio and Television. It was followed by traditional Ramadan songs that welcome the advent of the Muslim holy fasting month, including the iconic Ramadan Gana (Ramadan is upon us) by Mohamed Abdel-Motaleb and Aho Geih ya Welad (Here it comes everyone) by Al-Tholathi Al-Mareh, both of which date from the mid-20th century. Special radio and TV channels then started special programming. Meanwhile, the beginning of the taraweeh prayers, extended evening prayers, was being broadcast on social media and some private channels. These last for the 29 evenings of the holy month. Al-Hussein Mosque opposite Al-Azhar Mosque in Islamic Cairo is one of the mosques that the pious attend for the taraweeh prayers. Near this mosque, like around every main mosque in Cairo and other governorates, evening festivities last until the pre-dawn hours, with the first Sohour (last meal before dawn) in particular being marked in the older restaurants of the historic quarters of the city. Earlier on Friday, Sufi orders in Egypt organised a march to mark the beginning of the holy month. With hundreds joining, the march was headed by chair Abdel-Hadi Helal and accompanied by Osama Al-Azhari, the minister of Waqf. It went across the older quarters of Cairo, starting at the Mosque of Sidi Saleh Al-Gaafari and heading towards Al-Hussein Mosque. Al-Azhari had already inspected the central mosques in other cities, with his deputies doing the same in governorates across the country to make sure that preparations for a month of extended prayers were all set. According to Abdel-Azim Fahmi, founder of Sirat Al-Qahira (Biography of Cairo), an independent initiative that works on documenting the heritage of the capital, festivities to welcome Ramadan have always been deeply rooted in the history of the city, especially after the start of the Fatimid Dynasty's rule of Egypt in the 10th century and throughout the subsequent period of Mameluke rule that lasted until the 16th century. Before and after these centuries, he said, welcoming Ramadan was observed with less attention even if not in lesser fashion. Fahmi said that the lavish festivities associated with the advent of Ramadan were first introduced by the Fatimids, who had a taste for grandeur. A frequently cited anecdote refers to the Fatimid Caliph Al-Hakim Bi Amr Allah, the sixth Fatimid ruler of Egypt, who ordered the manufacture of a silver cover for the pulpit of Al-Azhar Mosque in the month of Ramadan as a sign of rejoicing. 'The imprint of the Fatimids on the festivities of Ramadan was very large. However, given that there is very little left of the Fatimid architecture of Cairo in the city today, the oldest site that still survives is the minaret of the Mosque of Qalawan, where the crescent moon of Ramadan used to be looked for to mark the beginning of the month,' he said. Built for a Mameluke Sultan, Al-Mansour Qalawan, who ruled Egypt in the second half of the 13th century, the Qalawan Complex of a mosque, madrassa, and mausoleum still stands in Al-Muiz li-Din Allah Street in Islamic Cairo today. Religious and judicial figures would ascend the staircase of the minaret, and if they agreed that the crescent moon could be seen, they would then come down to announce the beginning of the fasting month. 'This would be a very big moment, with the minaret of Qalawan itself lit with hanging lanterns and with many more lanterns and candles being lit in every mosque across the city,' Fahmi said. BEGINNING RAMADAN: Lanterns and candles would also be lit in the stores that were scattered across the street, which by the time of the Mamelukes was named Al-Kassaba Al-Ozmah. A march headed by leading religious and judiciary figures and joined by leading merchants would proceed to the residence of the Sultan to wish him well on the occasion, Fahmi added. As the march proceeded across the city, onlookers would come to the windows of their houses to watch and join the jubilant mood. Once the Sultan had received the delegates and accepted their greetings, he would order generous donations of food to be offered both to the rich and the poor. This would be followed by long sessions of prayers in the city's mosques, food shopping across the city, and the appearance of the messaharati, a man who would walk around the city before dawn during Ramadan banging a drum and calling on people to wake up for Sohour. According to Fahmi, the festivities of the month were a sign of the grandeur that marked the Fatimid but especially the Mameluke rule of Egypt. They were a sort of political statement, rather like the grand mosques, madrassas, and mausoleums that were built during the rule of the Mamelukes. The march at the beginning of the month was a statement of the power of the ruler, who would at times be present to oversee the distribution of food and other gifts. In his book on Sultan Qalawan, published by the Cairo publishers Madbouli as part of its Pages from the History of Egypt series, historian Mohamed Hamza notes that the behaviour of the Sultans was an integral part of their status as rulers at the top of Egypt's mediaeval political system. According to Hamza, the grandeur that marked Qalawan's 11-year rule was only part of the wider context of economic prosperity and political stability that marked his reign. 'Egypt was prosperous and flourishing under the rule of Qalawan,' Hamza wrote. Its prosperity could be seen everywhere, and unfair taxes were removed and the government reformed to make it more efficient in preventing injustices. Education, agriculture, trade, and charity were all prosperous under Qalawan, according to Hamza. 'The country's health services were particularly impressive,' he wrote. Fahmi said that a clear sign of this prosperity was the fact that during the month of Ramadan the lanterns on the minarets and city façades would be lit from sunset to dawn, 'so that people would know that the time was still right for them to eat and drink.' 'Once the lanterns were extinguished, they would know that it was time for them to start observing the fast.' During the evening hours in Ramadan, children would be doing what they still do today, especially in the older quarters of the city — playing with coloured lanterns in their hands. 'Much of what we see today in terms of celebrating the advent of Ramadan dates back to the Fatimid and Mameluke periods,' Fahmi said. Such traditions were never fully suspended, not even during the Ayoubid Dynasty between the Fatimids and Mamelukes or during later Ottoman rule when Egypt was no longer the seat of an empire. Fahmi said that during the time of Egypt's former ruling Mohamed Ali family, starting from its founder in the early years of the 19th century up until the last years of the rule of Egypt's last monarch king Farouk, there was always keen attention paid to the advent of Ramadan. Things were obviously different from the way they had been done in the Middle Ages, but all the ruling members of the Mohamed Ali family realised the significance of the holy month of Ramadan and made sure that they did what the public expected of them. From the first night and throughout the holy month, the rulers of Egypt in the 19th and 20th centuries made sure that they did what their predecessors had done to mark the beginning of Ramadan, offering and accepting greetings for the beginning of the month, holding Quranic recitations, giving money to charity, and joining public Iftars (meals for breaking the fast). Ramadan, Fahmi said, was always also a political matter. 'This is precisely why Napoleon made sure that he showed respect for the traditions of the month' during his time in Egypt at the head of the French Expedition to the country in the late 18th century. However, things changed dramatically after the beginning of the rule of the Free Officers in Egypt after the 1952 Revolution. 'The idea of a ruler and subordinates was off the table. Under the republic, the president saw the people as citizens and not subordinates,' Fahmi said. During the rule of successive presidents since then, every president has given due attention to the beginning of the month of Ramadan and to made sure that people have affordable access to commodities. According to Mohamed Afifi, a professor at Cairo University, the rulers of modern and contemporary Egypt have always known how to position their religious observances, 'each in a different way and to a different extent, but always with a political objective as well.' Observing prayers, especially on Fridays in the larger public mosques, has been another custom that every ruler has committed to during the Muslim holy month, Afifi said. In this respect, there has been no difference between the Mameluke Sultans and the modern presidents of Egypt, he concluded. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
