Officials in Saudi Arabia have declared a nine-day holiday for certain sectors during Eid Al Adha, Gulf Business reported. The Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) announced that banks, finance, and insurance firms would be on holiday from 17th August to 26th August, 2018.
Previously, the Saudi Stock Exchange had announced that they would suspend trading activities from 19th August to 26th August. Likewise, the Kuwaiti Cabinet declared a week-long holiday for public sector employees in the Gulf State, from 19th August to 23rd August.
Nine-day Holiday for Banking Sector in Saudi Arabia
Last month, the Deputy Director of Sharjah Planetarium in the UAE, Ebrahim Al Jarwan, stated that based on astronomical calculations, Arafat Day is likely to fall on 21st August (Tuesday). This means that Eid Al Adha is likely to start the next day, 22nd August (Wednesday).
Eid Al Adha is also called “feast of the sacrifice,” which looks back at the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son to God. Before he could do so, however, God sent an angel to replace the sacrifice with a sheep instead.
To commemorate this act, Muslims today sacrifice an animal during Eid Al Adha. The animal is divided into three parts: one-third for the family; one-third for relatives, friends, and neighbours; and one-third for the poor and needy.
Last year, Eid Al Adha fell on 1st September (Friday), with workers from both public and private sectors getting extra days off to celebrate the holiday. This year, we can look forward to a longer celebration, so check out these top places to visit in Saudi Arabia!
