Eid Al Adha will begin on Wednesday, May 27, UAE authorities confirmed on Sunday.

It comes after the crescent moon heralding the start of Dhu Al Hijja, the 12th and final month in the Islamic calendar, was observed in the Emirates on Sunday evening.

It means Dhu Al Hijja will begin on Monday, allowing for the start dates of both the annual Hajj pilgrimage – which falls on the eighth day of the month – and Eid Al Adha, which commences on its 10th day, to be determined.

Hajj will begin on Monday, May 25, with Arafat Day, held on the second day of the week-long pilgrimage, marked on Tuesday, May 26, with Eid Al Adha getting under way on Wednesday, May 27.

Saudi Arabia, Oman, Tunisia and Turkey had already declared that Monday would be the first day of Dhu Al Hijja, having sighted the crescent moon.

The Eid Al Adha holiday for public sector workers was announced by authorities this week, but private sector staff are still awaiting confirmation of their break.

Government employees will be granted leave from Monday, May 25, until Friday, May 29, with normal working hours resuming on Monday, June 1.

Private schools in Dubai will also close from Monday, May 25, until Friday, May 29, it was previously announced.

Eid Al Adha is the second of the two Eid festivals on the Islamic calendar and is celebrated by millions of Muslims around the world.

Its name translates to the Festival of the Sacrifice, as it commemorates the Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God's command.

Eid Al Adha coincides with the end of the Hajj season, when pilgrims travel to Makkah to perform a series of rituals. The pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam.

It is typically a time for friends and family to reflect on their faith, come together for communal gatherings and dinners and take part in charitable acts to help others.

Muslims hold traditional prayers at mosques across the Emirates on the first morning of Eid Al Adha, to mark the start of a cherished religious festival.