Living in the UAE means living on two calendars at once. The working week, the school year, and most business dealings follow the Gregorian calendar that the rest of the world uses. But the rhythm of the year is shaped by the Islamic lunar calendar, and if you do not understand how that works, you will find yourself repeatedly caught off guard — by unexpected days off, by restaurants that are closed in the middle of the afternoon, by a city that seems to transform overnight into something quieter and more inward-looking.
This is not a complication. Once you understand it, it becomes one of the more interesting aspects of life in the UAE. But it requires some explanation.
The Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle, meaning each month begins with the sighting of a new crescent moon. A lunar year is roughly eleven days shorter than a solar year, which means Islamic holidays fall approximately eleven days earlier each year against the Gregorian calendar. Ramadan, Eid, and every other Islamic observance rotates slowly through the seasons over a cycle of about thirty-three years.
The practical consequence of moon sighting is that official holiday dates are often confirmed only one or two days in advance. The UAE government announces public holidays based on the moon sighting committee’s determination, which means that a holiday expected on a Tuesday might officially be declared on the Sunday night before. Expats who have lived here for a few years learn to keep their schedules flexible around these periods and to check the news rather than assume the date will match the forecast.
Ramadan is the most significant month in the Islamic calendar and the one that most visibly reshapes daily life in the UAE. It is the month of fasting, during which Muslims abstain from food, drink, and smoking from dawn until sunset. For non-Muslims, the month brings a set of rules and changes to public life that are worth understanding clearly.
Eating, drinking, and smoking in public during daylight hours is prohibited by law during Ramadan. This applies to everyone in the UAE regardless of religion or nationality. Restaurants either close during the day or operate behind curtained windows and closed doors, serving food to non-Muslims discreetly. Most office buildings have designated areas where non-Muslim employees can eat lunch. Playing loud music in public is also considered disrespectful during this period.
Working hours are reduced by law during Ramadan, typically by two hours per day, and the pace of business slows noticeably. Traffic patterns change dramatically: the roads are quiet during the day and extremely busy in the hour before iftar, the breaking of the fast at sunset. If you need to drive anywhere in the late afternoon during Ramadan, leave earlier than you think you need to.
Iftar itself is one of the highlights of the Ramadan experience for expats who embrace it. The moment the cannon fires or the call to prayer sounds at sunset, the city shifts register entirely. Restaurants fill immediately, families gather, and there is a warmth and generosity to the atmosphere that is genuinely distinctive. Hotels and restaurants across the UAE put on elaborate iftar spreads throughout the month, and being invited to share iftar with an Emirati family or Muslim colleague is one of the more memorable experiences available in this country.
The last ten days of Ramadan are considered the most sacred, and the final night, Laylat al-Qadr, is observed with particular intensity. The month ends with the moon sighting that announces Eid al-Fitr.
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan and is one of the two major Eid celebrations in the Islamic year. It typically lasts three days as a public holiday in the UAE, though the exact dates depend on the moon sighting. The atmosphere is celebratory — families visit each other, children receive gifts and new clothes, and the city buzzes with a particular kind of collective relief and joy after a month of fasting.
For expats, Eid al-Fitr is a good time to be in the UAE if you enjoy the festive energy, but also a period when many residents travel, meaning airports are extremely busy in the days immediately before and after. Shopping malls extend their hours and run significant promotions. If you have Emirati colleagues or Muslim friends, a simple Eid Mubarak — meaning blessed Eid — goes a long way.
Eid al-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice, falls approximately seventy days after Eid al-Fitr and commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son in obedience to God. It coincides with the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, the largest annual gathering of people on earth. In the UAE, Eid al-Adha is often given a longer public holiday than Eid al-Fitr, sometimes stretching to four or five days depending on when it falls relative to the weekend.
The sacrifice of livestock is a central ritual of the holiday, and while this takes place in designated facilities rather than on the street in the UAE, it is worth knowing about if you are new to the country. Meat is distributed to family, neighbours, and those in need. The holiday carries a strong sense of charity and community obligation, and that spirit is visible in the way the city observes it.
Two other Islamic holidays appear on the UAE public holiday calendar each year. Islamic New Year, known as Al Hijri New Year, marks the beginning of the new lunar year and is typically a single public holiday. The Prophet’s Birthday, known as Al Mawlid Al Nabawi, commemorates the birth of the Prophet Muhammad and is similarly observed with a public holiday, though the scale of public celebration varies.
Both of these holidays tend to be quieter and more reflective than the two Eids. Businesses may close or operate on reduced hours, and the atmosphere is noticeably more subdued than during the festive Eid periods. As with all Islamic holidays, the exact dates are subject to moon sighting confirmation.
This holiday marks the night journey and ascension of the Prophet Muhammad, a significant event in Islamic theology. It is observed as a public holiday in the UAE and tends to pass relatively quietly from the perspective of daily life. Businesses close, government offices are shut, and the day has a reflective character similar to the Prophet’s Birthday.
The single most useful habit is checking the official UAE public holiday announcements regularly, particularly during Ramadan and in the weeks approaching either Eid. The government typically releases confirmed dates shortly after the relevant moon sighting, and local news outlets publish them immediately. Building a habit of checking before making commitments during these periods saves a significant amount of frustration.
Understanding the difference between Islamic holidays and the UAE’s national secular holidays is also worth the effort. National Day on December 2nd and Commemoration Day on November 30th follow the Gregorian calendar and fall on fixed dates each year. The Islamic holidays do not, and conflating the two systems leads to planning errors that are entirely avoidable.
The broader point is one that experienced UAE residents tend to arrive at naturally: the Islamic calendar is not an obstacle to navigate around but a framework that gives the year a different and genuinely interesting shape. The slow slide of Ramadan through the seasons means that every few years you experience it in the depths of summer, when the fast lasts from around four in the morning until nearly seven at night, and then a decade later in the mild winter, when the hours are shorter and the evenings are perfect for sitting outside at iftar. That variation, repeated across a lifetime spent in this country, gives the year a texture that the fixed calendar simply cannot.
The UAE’s rich history is rooted in trade and tied to Islam. Its unique location between Europe and the Far East became the crucial factor in it's growth into the world's largest trading hubs. Throughout the ages, these lands had attracted merchants from India and China, and were prized by Europeans, in particular the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British.
After the discovery of oil and the formation of the Emirates, the wise rulers began the rapid development of the country's economy, shaping it into what it is today. Though small in size, the UAE quickly became an important player in regional and international affairs.
Although it's growth and development, UAE heritage have not been forgotten - on the contrary, is still well-respected among the nationals. History and culture of local people can be felt in the legendary hospitality of local hotels, architecture of modern skyscrapers and openness and kindness in living among the multinational community.
Here you can read various articles about UAE heritage, history and culture, and better understand, why this country's development became such a success throughout the years.
