Arab Public Holidays
Complete Guide to Public Holidays in Arab Countries
Official Calendar
Complete Guide to Islamic Holidays, National Days & Work Schedule in Libya
| Holiday | Date | Day | Hijri date | Days off | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eid al-Fitr Expected | Monday | 1 Shawwal 1451 AH | 2 days (4 February – 5 February) | Religious | |
| Revolution Day (17 February) | Sunday | 14 Shawwal 1451 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Arafat Day Expected | Friday | 9 Dhu al-Hijjah 1451 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Eid al-Adha Expected | Saturday | 10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1451 AH | 3 days (13 April – 15 April) | Religious | |
| Labour Day | Wednesday | 28 Dhu al-Hijjah 1451 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Islamic New Year Expected | Saturday | 1 Muharram 1452 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Prophet's Birthday Expected | Saturday | 12 Rabi al-Awwal 1452 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Martyrs' Day | Monday | 17 Jumada al-Ula 1452 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Liberation Day | Wednesday | 25 Jumada al-Akhirah 1452 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Independence Day | Tuesday | 28 Shaban 1452 AH | 1 day | National |
Weekend days: Friday and Saturday
Note: Religious holiday dates may vary based on moon sighting and could change by one day. Please check official sources for confirmation.
Plan your vacations! There are 2 long weekends this year where public holidays connect with regular weekend days.
3 days off 15 February – 17 February
Revolution Day (17 February)
4 days off 12 April – 15 April
Arafat Day + Eid al-Adha
Public holiday Weekend
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | |||||
| 3 | 4 — Eid al-Fitr | 5 — Eid al-Fitr | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| 17 — Revolution Day (17 February) | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | |||||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| 31 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 — Arafat Day | 13 — Eid al-Adha |
| 14 — Eid al-Adha | 15 — Eid al-Adha | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 — Labour Day | 2 | 3 | 4 — Islamic New Year | |||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| 30 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 — Prophet's Birthday |
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 — Martyrs' Day | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 — Liberation Day | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | |||||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 — Independence Day | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 | 31 |
Libya's public holiday calendar marks key historical turning points alongside Islamic religious observances. National holidays include the 17 February Revolution anniversary commemorating the 2011 uprising, and Independence Day on 24 December marking Libya's independence in 1951. Islamic religious holidays follow the Hijri lunar calendar and include Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha, the Prophet's Birthday, and the Islamic New Year, confirmed through moon sighting. The political instability Libya has experienced in recent years has at times affected the consistent announcement and observance of public holidays across different regions of the country. Libya's economy relies heavily on oil production and exports alongside agriculture and services, with the work week running Sunday through Thursday and the weekend on Friday and Saturday. Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha, and the Prophet's Birthday dates change each year according to the lunar Hijri calendar, meaning their timing varies from one year to the next.
Official source: Government of Libya
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan and falls on 1 Shawwal in the Hijri calendar. Families attend the Eid prayer in the morning, visit relatives and exchange gifts, and children traditionally receive Eidiya money. The exact start is confirmed by moon sighting, so the date can move by one day. See Eid 2030 dates for all Arab countries.
17 February commemorates the start of the 2011 Libyan revolution.
Arafat Day falls on 9 Dhu al-Hijjah, when pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for the most important rite of the Hajj. Many Muslims who are not on pilgrimage fast on this day. It immediately precedes Eid al-Adha.
Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice, begins on 10 Dhu al-Hijjah, the day after pilgrims stand at Mount Arafat during the Hajj. Muslims perform the Eid prayer and many sacrifice a sheep or other livestock, sharing the meat with family, neighbours and those in need. It is the longest public holiday of the year in most Arab countries. See Eid 2030 dates for all Arab countries.
Labour Day on 1 May honours workers and the labour movement. In Libya government offices, banks and most businesses close for the day.
The Islamic New Year (Ras al-Sana al-Hijriya) falls on 1 Muharram and marks the start of a new Hijri year, commemorating the Prophet Muhammad's migration (Hijra) from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE. It is a quiet, reflective holiday rather than a festive one.
Al-Mawlid al-Nabawi commemorates the birth of the Prophet Muhammad on 12 Rabi al-Awwal. In Libya it is an official holiday, often marked with religious lectures, poetry recitals in praise of the Prophet and traditional sweets.
16 September honours Libya's martyrs on the anniversary of the execution of resistance leader Omar Al-Mukhtar in 1931.
23 October marks the declaration of Libya's liberation in 2011.
Independence Day celebrates the day Libya gained its independence. It is marked with official ceremonies, flag raising, and public celebrations across the country.
Libya has 10 public holidays in 2030: 5 national and 5 religious, adding up to about 13 days off.
Eid al-Fitr in Libya is expected on Monday, 4 February 2030 (1 Shawwal 1451 AH), with 2 days off (4 February to 5 February). The date may shift by one day depending on moon sighting.
Eid al-Adha in Libya is expected on Saturday, 13 April 2030 (10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1451 AH), with 3 days off (13 April to 15 April). The date may shift by one day depending on moon sighting.
The official weekend in Libya is Friday and Saturday.
There are 2 long weekends where public holidays connect with the weekend. The longest is 4 days, from 12 April to 15 April.