The Ajman Government Human Resources Department declared Friday, 28 August 2026, a public holiday for government employees in Ajman to mark the Prophet’s Birthday (Mawlid Al Nabawi), with official duties resuming on Monday, 31 August. The holiday corresponds to 12 Rabi Al Awwal 1448 AH.
The department extended congratulations to His Highness Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ajman, and Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman, on the occasion, Gulf News reported.
The holiday applied across all government entities, departments and institutions in the emirate.
Ajman public holiday for Prophet’s Birthday: what it meant for the working week
For most government employees in Ajman, the Friday holiday extended into a three-day break, with Saturday and Sunday as regular days off. Public sector employees in Sharjah, who observe Friday as part of their weekend, were already in a separate position.
The break fell during the final week of the school summer holiday. The 2026–27 academic year was scheduled to begin on 31 August, the same date Ajman government staff returned to work.
The UAE Government portal lists Prophet Mohammed’s birthday on 12 Rabi’ Awwal as a one-day public holiday, with a standing note that Islamic holidays are determined by moon sighting. The UAE Moon Sighting Committee convenes on the 29th day of every Hijri month to observe the crescent and confirm the start of the next month.
Cabinet resolution that governs holiday transfers
The framework covering when public holidays can be moved is set out in Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 on Public Holidays, which came into force on 1 January 2025.
Article 2 of the resolution permits the UAE Cabinet to transfer any public holiday to the beginning or end of the working week. Eid holidays are explicitly excluded from this provision. Article 3 adds that a holiday cannot be transferred if it coincides with another public holiday or falls on a weekend day.
The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) issued Circular No. 11 of 2026 to federal government employees covering the arrangements for Prophet Mohammad’s Birthday 1448 AH.
The next public holiday on the federal calendar is UAE National Day (Eid Al Etihad) on 2 and 3 December 2026. With those dates falling on a Wednesday and Thursday, most employees face a potential four-day break when combined with the weekend, and Sharjah residents on a Friday–Saturday weekend could see up to five consecutive days off.
