By Mehak Ishfaq 
If you’re searching for the UAE’s August public holiday, here’s the answer straight away: the UAE Government Media Office has officially confirmed Friday, August 28, 2026 as a paid public holiday for Mawlid Al Nabawi, the Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday (PBUH). Because it lands on a Friday, most employees working the standard Saturday–Sunday weekend get three consecutive days off, from Friday August 28 through Sunday August 30, with work resuming on Monday, August 31.
That confirmed date is different from what early calendar projections suggested, which is worth explaining if you’ve seen conflicting dates elsewhere.
Why You May Have Seen a Different Date
Earlier in the summer, most UAE holiday coverage — including initial reporting from Arabian Business and other outlets — projected the observance around Tuesday, August 25, based on where the 12th day of Rabi’ Al Awwal was expected to fall on the Islamic lunar calendar. Because a midweek holiday is inconvenient for planning, there was widespread speculation that the UAE Cabinet would use its holiday-transfer power to shift the day off to Monday, August 24 instead, creating a three-day weekend at the start of the week.
That’s not what happened. When the UAE Government Media Office issued the official announcement, it confirmed the holiday for Friday, August 28 — later in the week than either of the earlier projections, but still producing the same practical outcome: a three-day weekend. This is a normal feature of Islamic calendar holidays in the UAE, since exact dates depend on official confirmation rather than fixed projections, and only become final close to the occasion.
The Legal Basis: How Holiday Transfers Work
The flexibility around this date comes from UAE Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024, which authorizes the government to transfer eligible public holidays to the start or end of a working week so they connect with the weekend. A few rules govern how this works:
- The transfer provision applies to most public holidays, but not to Eid Al Fitr or Eid Al Adha, which are fixed in length regardless of where they fall.
- A transfer cannot happen if the holiday already overlaps another public holiday or falls on a weekend day.
- Local governments retain some discretion to add extra holidays for their own departments or entities, separate from the federal calendar.
In practice, this is exactly what gave employees a three-day break this August, just anchored to Friday rather than the Monday many had expected.
You can review the official, continuously updated holiday list on the UAE Government Portal’s public holidays page.
Who Gets the Day Off
The holiday applies to federal government entities and private sector employees across the UAE. UAE labour law also protects staff who are required to work through the holiday: employers must either grant an alternative day of leave or pay normal wages plus at least 50% of the employee’s basic daily wage for that day, if no replacement leave is given.
Certain sectors are more likely to keep running through the holiday regardless of the calendar, since they serve the public every day:
- Hospitality, tourism, and aviation
- Healthcare and emergency services
- Retail and logistics
- Public transport
If you work in one of these sectors, check with your employer directly rather than assuming the office-based holiday schedule applies to you. Full details on paid-leave entitlements and compensation rules are published on the UAE Government Portal’s official leaves and vacations page, and disputes can be raised with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE).
What This Means for Planning
With the holiday confirmed for Friday, August 28, the practical break runs Friday to Sunday for most private and government sector employees, with a return to work on Monday, August 31 — which also happens to be the same week many schools begin the new academic year. That overlap is worth factoring in if you’re planning family travel, since flights and hotels around the last weekend of August tend to fill up quickly once a long weekend is confirmed.
This is also the last public holiday before December. September, October, and November carry no public holidays under the standing federal calendar, which makes late August the final long-weekend opportunity for several months, before UAE National Day (Eid Al Etihad) on December 2–3.
If this long weekend has you thinking about where to spend it or where to settle before the next one, our Dubai areas guide and Dubai Golden Visa investor guide are good next reads.
Quick Reference
| Detail | Confirmed Information |
|---|---|
| Occasion | Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday (Mawlid Al Nabawi) |
| Confirmed holiday date | Friday, August 28, 2026 |
| Break for Sat–Sun weekend staff | Friday Aug 28 – Sunday Aug 30 (3 days) |
| Back to work | Monday, August 31, 2026 |
| Earlier projected dates | Tuesday Aug 25 (occasion) / Monday Aug 24 (speculated transfer) — both superseded |
| Applies to | Federal government and private sector employees |
| Next public holiday after this | UAE National Day, Dec 2–3, 2026 |
FAQs
What is the UAE public holiday in August 2026?
It’s Mawlid Al Nabawi, marking the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The UAE Government Media Office confirmed the paid holiday for Friday, August 28, 2026.
Is the August 2026 UAE holiday on August 24, 25, or 28?
Officially, it’s August 28. Earlier reports projected August 25 as the likely religious occasion and August 24 as a possible transferred holiday, but the final government announcement confirmed Friday, August 28 instead.
Do UAE employees get a three-day weekend in August 2026?
Yes. Employees who work a standard Saturday–Sunday weekend get three consecutive days off, from Friday, August 28, through Sunday, August 30, returning to work on Monday, August 31.
Does the August holiday apply to private sector employees?
Yes. The confirmed holiday covers both federal government entities and private sector employees across the UAE.
What happens if I have to work on the holiday?
UAE labour law requires employers to either provide an alternative day of leave or pay normal wages plus at least 50% of the employee’s basic daily wage for that day if no replacement leave is granted.
Why do UAE Islamic holiday dates keep changing?
Islamic holidays follow the Hijri lunar calendar, and their exact Gregorian dates depend on official moon-sighting and government confirmation rather than a fixed annual date, which is why early media projections are often adjusted once the official announcement is issued.
When is the next UAE public holiday after August 2026?
The next public holiday on the federal calendar is UAE National Day (Eid Al Etihad), observed Wednesday, December 2, and Thursday, December 3, 2026.
More UAE Holiday & Lifestyle Guides
For the full-year list of confirmed and projected dates, see our UAE National Holidays Day 2026 guide. Planning to buy or rent before the next long weekend? Browse our Dubai areas guide or get in touch with our team for personalised guidance.