Arab Public Holidays
Complete Guide to Public Holidays in Arab Countries
Official Calendar
Complete Guide to Islamic Holidays, National Days & Work Schedule in Saudi Arabia
| Holiday | Date | Day | Hijri date | Days off | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eid al-Fitr Expected | Wednesday | 1 Shawwal 1450 AH | 4 days (14 February – 17 February) | Religious | |
| Saudi Founding Day | Thursday | 9 Shawwal 1450 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Arafat Day Expected | Monday | 9 Dhu al-Hijjah 1450 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Eid al-Adha Expected | Tuesday | 10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1450 AH | 3 days (24 April – 26 April) | Religious | |
| Saudi National Day | Sunday | 14 Jumada al-Ula 1451 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 4 long weekends this year where public holidays connect with regular weekend days.
4 days off 14 February – 17 February
Eid al-Fitr
3 days off 22 February – 24 February
Saudi Founding Day
6 days off 23 April – 28 April
Arafat Day + Eid al-Adha
3 days off 21 September – 23 September
Saudi National Day
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 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 — Eid al-Fitr | 15 — Eid al-Fitr | 16 — Eid al-Fitr | 17 — Eid al-Fitr |
| 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 — Saudi Founding Day | 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 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 — Arafat Day | 24 — Eid al-Adha | 25 — Eid al-Adha | 26 — Eid al-Adha | 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 | 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 | 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 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 23 — Saudi National Day | 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 | 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 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| 30 | 31 |
Saudi Arabia's public holiday calendar reflects both its role as the custodian of Islam's two holiest sites and its distinct national history. National Day on 23 September commemorates the unification of the kingdom under King Abdulaziz in 1932, while Founding Day on 22 February — added as an official holiday in 2022 — marks the establishment of the First Saudi State in 1727. Religious public holidays are limited to Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha (with Arafat Day) — Saudi Arabia gives no days off for the Islamic New Year or the Prophet's Birthday — and their dates follow the Supreme Court's moon sighting announcements. Each Eid break lasts about four days; the Eid Al-Adha break begins on Arafat Day, at the height of the Hajj season, when millions of pilgrims are gathered in Mecca and Mina.
Official source: Government of Saudi Arabia
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 2029 dates for all Arab countries.
Founding Day on 22 February commemorates the establishment of the First Saudi State by Imam Muhammad bin Saud in 1727. It became an official holiday in 2022.
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 2029 dates for all Arab countries.
Saudi National Day on 23 September marks the unification of the Kingdom under King Abdulaziz Al Saud in 1932, celebrated with green flags, fireworks and air shows.
Saudi Arabia has 5 public holidays in 2029: 2 national and 3 religious, adding up to about 10 days off.
Eid al-Fitr in Saudi Arabia is expected on Wednesday, 14 February 2029 (1 Shawwal 1450 AH), with 4 days off (14 February to 17 February). The date may shift by one day depending on moon sighting.
Eid al-Adha in Saudi Arabia is expected on Tuesday, 24 April 2029 (10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1450 AH), with 3 days off (24 April to 26 April). The date may shift by one day depending on moon sighting.
The official weekend in Saudi Arabia is Friday and Saturday.
There are 4 long weekends where public holidays connect with the weekend. The longest is 6 days, from 23 April to 28 April.