Dubai News
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has officially announced that the holy month of Ramadan has ended after the sighting of the crescent Moon on Thursday evening, marking the start of the Islamic calendar month Shawwal and the first day of Eid Al Fitr 2023 on Friday, April 21.
Muslims in the UAE were invited by the moon-sighting committee to participate in the sighting of the Moon on the evening of Ramadan 29. As the Moon was sighted on Thursday, the holy month of Ramadan lasted for 29 days.
UAE residents will now enjoy a 4-day break to celebrate the Islamic festival, which follows a month of fasting. The first long weekend of the year began on Thursday, with offices and schools set to resume on Monday, April 24.
The official Eid holidays will be observed from Ramadan 29 to Shawwal 3 for Emiratis and expatriates employed in government departments and private companies.
Saudi Arabia
The first day of Eid al-Fitr will begin on Friday, April 21, following the sighting of the crescent moon in Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom’s Supreme Court announced on Thursday.
![Crescent moon sighted: Eid Al Fitr 2023 announced in the GCC 4 Ramadan 2023](https://www.timeoutdubai.com/cloud/timeoutdubai/2022/04/05/y8SOLz12-2013_1_ramadan_base-1024x768.jpg)
Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Yemen, Sudan, Jordan and Egypt also announced that the first day of Eid will fall on Friday.
Muslims follow a lunar calendar consisting of 12 months in a year of 354 or 355 days.
Employees in the Kingdom’s private and non-profit sector will enjoy a four-day paid holiday that will begin at the end of work on Thursday, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development had announced.