Eid Holiday Schedules In UAE, KSA And Other Gulf Countries

After the month-long consecration in observance of Ramadan among Muslim countries in the Middle East and other countries where there are followers of Islam, long holidays will follow in observance of the Eid Al Fitr.
This year Eid will be celebrated on the 4th or 5th of June, depending on the sighting of the new moon. The date of Eid changes every year, according to the lunar-based Islamic calendar.

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Here are the holiday schedules for Eid Al Fitr in different Gulf countries:

In Saudi Arabia, the First day of Eid al Fitr will be on June 4, 2019, and the holidays will be most likely to last until June 6.

In Kuwait, The Civil Service Commission (CSC) announced today a three-day Eid Al Fitr holiday from Tuesday, June 4 till Thursday, June 6.

Official working hours will resume on Sunday, June 9, whether Eid fell on Tuesday or not. 

A three-day holiday has been announced for the private sector, from June 4 to June 6, 2019, in Oman.

"Eid Al-Fitr holidays for employees in ministries, public bodies, and other units of the administrative apparatus of the state will be from Tuesday, 29th of Ramadan, 4 June to the end of the 3rd of Shawwal," added the Oman News Agency.

The UAE has announced a seven-day official Eid Al Fitr holiday for the public sector.

According to a brief statement issued on Twitter, following the directives of The President, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE Cabinet announced that the Eid Al Fitr holiday for the public sector will start on Sunday, June 2, for one week, with work resuming on Sunday, June 9.

Following the directives of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE Cabinet announces Eid Al Fitr holiday for the public sector to start on Sunday 2nd of June, for one week, with work resuming on Sunday 9th of June. #UAEGov

— UAEGov (@uaegov) May 26, 2019

In Qatar,  the Amiri Diwan has announced that Eid al-Fitr holidays for the ministries, other government organizations, and the general authorities and institutions will start on Sunday, June 2 and end on Monday, June 10. State employees will resume work on Tuesday, June 11.

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In the Philippines, President Duterte declared June 5 as a public holiday in observance of the Islamic holiday.

Eid al-Adha, which means ‘festival of the sacrifice’ will be observed approximately two months after Eid al-Fitr and culturally is considered a bigger event. It coincides with the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, known as Hajj, which every Muslim is expected to undergo at least once during their lifetime if they are physically and financially able.

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Kuwait Intensifies Crackdown Against Homosexuals

Representatives from Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Interior, and Kuwait Municipality continued the raids on massage parlors. The head of the committee Muhammad Al-Dhufairi said the group has shut down 22 massage parlors in the first half of 2017 and deported 76 homosexuals. This is a result of a nationwide campaign against vice, to which homosexuality is considered. He added that the committee discovered women's underwear, makeup and sex objects from the parlors and submitted these to relevant authorities as evidence. He noted members of the Moral Guidance Unit were included in the committee to boost its crackdown on vice.

Kuwait University staff Dr. Rashed Al-Azmi said people repeatedly complained about these massage parlors that are into moral violations, and called for shutting down of such places. He stressed the importance of activating the role of women police for follow up. He added some massage parlors receive not only women but men acting like women. He also explained that massage is permitted as a form of therapy but it’s prohibited to take off clothing and to touch the bare skin.

Undercover police check the documents of massage parlor worker. It is not clear if they are Filipinos.

A cleric at the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Ibrahim Banseer, said massage parlors may draw customers to the vice of homosexuality, which is strongly condemned and forbidden in Islamic countries. He called on authorities and the media to follow up the issue and notify the public about the dangers of spreading such vice.

Another cleric from the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, Dr. Rashed Al-Elaimi, pointed out that massage could be therapeutic when done by trained specialists under the supervision of specialist doctors. He stressed that watching the naked body is strongly prohibited unless in serious medical cases that could save the person’s life.

Head of Scientific Committee at the Islamic Heritage Revival Society Dr. Muhammad Al-Najdi said massage could be allowed as long as violations are avoided, especially if it’s for therapeutic purpose. He also said massage could be permitted if certain conditions are followed, and by covering the body. There should also be separate areas for each gender. He reiterated violation of these conditions opens the door for vice. This is why authorities now closely follow up massage centers to prevent violations and punish violators.

Police handcuff and arrest individuals suspected of being homosexuals. They appear to be Asian, but it's not clear if they are Filipinos.

In all the Gulf Cooperation Council States, any form of homosexuality is illegal. LGBT people in the region - both locals and expatriates - maybe subjected to harassment, blackmail and abuse. Arabs shun gay men and women in their families, often denying such conditions existed.

Punishments for homosexuality differs from each state. The punishment for homosexuality in Saudi Arabia, and it's non GCC neighbor, Iran, is death. Their neighbors are less cruel, some still giving physical punishments before deportation.

The following is a list of countries that considers homosexuality a crime.

• Afghanistan - Long imprisonment
• Egypt - Imprisonment, Fine and Rehabilitation
• Gaza - Imprisonment for 10 years
• Iran - Lashes and/or Death
• Kuwait - Imprisonment for up to 7 years
• Lebanon - Imprisonment for up to 1 year
• Oman - Imprisonment for up to 3 years
• Qatar - Imprisonment for up to 7 years or death
• Saudi Arabia - Lashes or death by stoning
• Syria - Imprisonment for up to 3 years
• UAE - Imprisonment for up to 10 or 14 years
• Yemen - Imprisonment for up to 3-7 years

In 2013, Kuwait publicly announced the entry ban for homosexuals, where they intended to develop "tests" to determine the homosexuality of incoming expatriates. Other GCC countries made similar pronouncements. At that time, anyone suspected of homosexuality were also threatened with deportation.

The west have always seen this view of homosexuals as a form of homophobia. In the region, Israel is the only country that allows open expression of LGBT rights.


source: ArabTimes

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed herein or in the embedded videos do not reflect the views of the writer, or this blogger. They are opinions expressed by the video uploader, or commentator as quoted.

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