In honor of Arafat Day - considered the holiest day in Islam - and the Eid Al Adha festival, the year's longest break will begin on Tuesday, June 27. With the Saturday-Sunday weekend, UAE residents will get a six-day holiday.

Muslims across the UAE will offer special prayers on the first day of Eid, which is Wednesday, June 28.

The special prayers are held shortly after sunrise in mosques and large open spaces called Eid musallahs. The prayer spaces typically remain open from the Fajr prayer. Khaleej Times can reveal the timings of the prayer in some Emirates:

Dubai: 5.50am

Sharjah: 5.47am

Dubai and Sharjah have confirmed the timings. The ones below are based on calculations that the prayer is held 20 minutes after sunrise:

Abu Dhabi: 5.53am

Ajman: 5.47 am

Umm Al Quwain: 5.46am

Fujairah: 5.44am

Ras Al Khaimah: 5.44am

Eid prayer: how is it offered?

The Eid prayer is a congregational one and consists of two units (raka’ah). In the first, the Imam will lead worshippers in offering multiple takbirs before reciting the surah Fatiha and another chapter from the holy Quran. In the second unit, too, multiple takbirs are said. At the end of the prayer, the Imam will give a two-part sermon.

Muslims are expected to listen to the sermon before hugging their loved ones on Eid Mubarak and beginning the day’s festivities.