Gulf countries
The four Gulf countries have announced a paid holiday for all public and private sector workers to mark Prophet Muhammad’s birthday.
Bahrain is expected to have holiday on Wednesday, September 27.
Kuwait and Oman government has declared Thursday, September 28, an official holiday. It is followed by the usual Friday, September 29, and Saturday, September 30, off, translating into a three-day weekend.
Meanwhile, UAE government announced holiday on Friday, September 29, and the work will resume on Monday, October 2.
For Muslims, the Prophet Muhammad is seen as a moral and spiritual role model, and commemorating his life is seen as another way to keep his memory alive in the collective Islamic consciousness.
In 570 AD, the Prophet Muhammad was born in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. However, it is not clear what is the exact Gregorian date of his birth. Muslims celebrate Muhammad’s birthday on the 12th day of Rabi Ul Awwal, the third month of the Islamic year.
In Arabic, the holiday is referred to as Eid Al Mawlid Al Nabawi or Milad.
The holiday is marked by observance rather than celebration, with festivities kept to a minimum.
This post was last modified on September 20, 2023 12:48 pm