Holiday dates and the holding of relevant events help to understand the culture of the country, to touch the traditions and customs of the population.
For those visiting the UAE, it is important to know the days of the holidays, their essence, in order to better plan their stay and interaction with local residents. To do this, it is worth learn more about the main holidays.
What you need to consider when planning
In the UAE, the Gregorian calendar is used to determine dates, as in most countries of the world. However, Muslim traditions require that the lunar calendar be taken into account when determining the time of holidays. Therefore, the dates of the celebration are shifted annually. It is also necessary to know that in the UAE, the main time zone is the standard Persian Gulf, four hours ahead of Greenwich. However, in Sharjah and Dubai, the time is shifted and the difference with Greenwich is only three hours. These facts must be taken into account when planning a visit to festive events.
Among the main holidays, it is worth highlighting the main ones:
- The holy month of Ramadan is fasting, prayers, spiritual reflections. The asceticism of this period is replaced by three festive days, when Muslims offer collective prayers, communicate with family members and representatives of their community. One of the indispensable attributes is a rich feast, which is designed to emphasize the unity of people.
- Another important Muslim holiday is Eid al-Adha. On this day, sacrifices are made, in this role animals such as sheep or goats are used. This is a symbol of worship of God. This holiday coincides with the period of the Hajj to holy places. Eid al-Adha refers to family events. On this day, it is customary for all family members to gather at one table to feel unity, to show their faith. Also on this day, it is customary to show charity to less fortunate members of the community so that they also participate in the festivities. They are given a third of the carcass of the sacrificial animal.
Features of celebrating holidays in the UAE
To choose the time to visit the country, it is worth using the calendar calculator, which will show what dates the celebration falls on in the current year. This will help you plan your visit correctly and avoid awkward situations.
Visiting the Emirates during holidays will help you better understand the people and traditions of the society. It is on such days that cultural peculiarities are best revealed. It is important to understand these manifestations in order to facilitate contacts and relationships between representatives of different cultures.