Oman: Residents to get three day weekend as Prophet Muhammad's birthday holiday falls on Sunday

Oman has officially declared Sunday, September 7, 2025, as a public holiday for both government and private sector employees to mark the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). With the holiday falling right after the regular Friday-Saturday weekend, citizens and residents in the Sultanate will enjoy an extended three-day break.

Holiday declared for Prophet Muhammad’s birthday
Authorities in Oman announced that Sunday, September 7, 2025 (corresponding to 14 Rabi’ Al Awwal 1447 AH), will be an official paid holiday for all employees in both the public and private sectors. The occasion commemorates the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), which is observed annually on the 12th day of the Islamic month of Rabi’ Al Awwal.

This decision applies to:

• All employees in units of the State’s Administrative Apparatus
• Workers in legal entities and private sector establishments

The Ministry of Labour further clarified that while the day is a designated holiday, employers in the private sector are permitted to require staff to work on that day if necessary, provided that employees are compensated accordingly for the holiday.

Islamic calendar and moon sighting context
Islamic holidays are based on the lunar calendar, and the start of each Islamic month depends on the sighting of the crescent moon. On the evening of August 23, 2025, Oman’s moon sighting committee reported that the new moon was not observed. As a result:

• The Islamic month of Rabi’ Al Awwal began on Monday, August 25
• The Prophet's birthday, falling on 12 Rabi’ Al Awwal, will be observed on Friday, September 5

However, since September 5 is a Friday — part of the official weekend in Oman — the holiday has been rescheduled to Sunday, September 7, to ensure employees can benefit from the observance.

Impact: A long weekend for the sultanate
The official workweek in Oman runs from Sunday to Thursday, with Friday and Saturday as the weekend. Since the actual date of the Prophet’s birthday falls on a Friday (a non-working day), the observance has been shifted to the following Sunday.

This adjustment effectively gives workers in Oman a three-day weekend:

• Friday, September 5 – Weekend
• Saturday, September 6 – Weekend
• Sunday, September 7 – Public holiday

This move not only honours the religious occasion but also provides a brief respite for citizens and residents across the country.