Abu Dhabi: UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has today congratulated the nation ahead of the occasion to mark the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).
“On the anniversary of the birth of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), we continue to be guided by his noble character, his timeless values, and his inspirational legacy of kindness, friendship and empathy for all of humanity,” Mohamed Bin Zayed said in a tweet.
Nationwide holiday
The Prophet’s birthday, known in Arabic as Eid Al Mawlid Al Nabawi, is typically observed on the 12th of the month of Rabi Al Awwal on the Islamic calendar, even though the precise date of his birth is unclear. It is known however that he was born in the Saudi Arabian city of Makkah in the year 570AD of the Gregorian calendar.
Commemorating his birth, Muslims discuss his noble traits and seeking to follow the values he espoused. Families also exchange traditional sweets on the occasion.
This year, the date coincides with October 8, which was earlier announced as a holiday for all federal government employees as well as private sector workers in circulars issued by the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources and the Ministry of Human Resource and Emiratisation. Work will resume on Monday, October 10. Transport authorities in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah have also announced free public parking on the occasion, with Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Transport Centre also excluding motorists from Darb road tolls on Saturday.
