Hello hello Creatives! ✨
This month, I’m celebrating my 15th Year in the UAE! Imagine that! Never did I thought that I’d last more than a decade and running to the second one in this totally new country. Flash back 2008 – I moved to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, check out that story here > FLASHBACK – Living in the World’s Richest City. Fast forward 15 years, I can only think of a very few contents about the UAE’s culture – so I thought, since tomorrow is a holiday – maybe I can share what the holidays in the UAE & what are its significance.
Annually, most of the new outlet around the Emirates will run down all the upcoming holidays, so here is the one for 2024.
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan | Mon | New Year’s Day |
| 8 Apr | Mon | Eid al-Fitr Holiday |
| 9 Apr | Tue | Eid al-Fitr Holiday |
| 10 Apr | Wed | Eid al-Fitr |
| 11 Apr | Thu | Eid al-Fitr Holiday |
| 12 Apr | Fri | Eid al-Fitr Holiday |
| 15 Jun | Sat | Arafat Day |
| 16 Jun | Sun | Eid al-Adha |
| 17 Jun | Mon | Eid al-Adha Holiday |
| 18 Jun | Tue | Eid al-Adha Holiday |
| 7 Jul | Sun | Islamic New Year |
| 15 Sep | Sun | Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday |
| 1 Dec | Sun | Commemoration Day |
| 2 Dec | Mon | National Day |
| 3 Dec | Tue | National Day Holiday |
But for this blog post, allow me to explain tomorrow’s holiday which is the Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday.
UAE is a Muslim country, so most of its holidays are tied to the Islam religion and traditions and that would mean celebrating their prophet’s birthday.
Who is Prophet Muhammad?
Muhammad[a] (Arabic: مُحَمَّد; c. 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monotheistic teachings of Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets. He is believed to be the Seal of the Prophets within Islam, with the Quran as well as his teachings and practices forming the basis of Islamic religious belief.
When is Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday?
His birthday is usually celebrated on the 12th or 17th day of the Third month of the Islamic calendar.
This year, 2023 – it will fall on 29-September 2023. It changes every year but most of the time it is in September.
Why is Prophet Muhammad’s birthday important?
Prophet Muhammad’s birthday is important for many Muslims because it is a way of expressing their love, respect, and gratitude for the final messenger of God and the founder of Islam. Prophet Muhammad is believed to have received the revelation of the Quran, the holy book of Muslims, and to have taught the principles of faith, morality, and justice to his followers. His birthday is also an occasion to remember his life, teachings, and example as a role model for humanity.
His birthday is considered a holiday as this is a way to show respect and as to remind themselves who of their beloved prophet, to follow his Sunnah and instructions, and to learn from his life, teaching on how to become a true Muslim.
Often Muslims go to attend special prayers in the mosque to celebrate this day, some would also decorate their houses and exchange gifts among families.
For expats like us, we take the advantage to rest or go somewhere and spend bonding time with family and friends.
So, that’s it for this holiday creatives! I’ll be sharing other contexts of the next holidays in the next blogs too!
Thank you for reading & God bless!
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