Official Public Holidays

Fridays and Saturdays are official days off in Qatar.

Qatar National Day: December 18

The annual Qatar National Day (QND) holiday falls on Dec. 18, and marks the date in 1878 when Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani rallied the tribes of the peninsula into a unified people.

National Day, also known as Founder's Day, celebrates the rise of Sheikh Jassem as the father and founder of the State of Qatar. And yet this holiday is a mere 9 years old: it was founded in 2007 to give people an occasion to honor the history and identity of their country, and to commemorate those who have worked and continue to work to make Qatar a great nation.

The 18th of December is a special day: A day of unity for the people of Qatar. We want you to be a part of it!

National Sport Day on Tuesday of the second week of February

Former Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani established the holiday in 2011 to encourage residents of Qatar to be more active.

Every year, government ministries, institutions and private companies organize a long list of sports-related activities for employees and the public to take part in the spirit of the day.

The Holy Eid Al-Fitr

The Festival of Eid al-Fitr, the Festival of Fast breaking, marks the end of Ramadan.
Ramadan is one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith and is sacred to Muslims as it was during this month that the Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.

As the date of Eid depends on the sighting of the moon, there may be variations in the exact date that is celebrated around the world. The announcing of the exact date of Eid may not happen until close to the start of Ramadan.
Muslims celebrate Eid by saying prayers, giving money to the poor, sending Eid greetings and feasting with their families.

The holy Eid Al-Adha

Known as Eid al-Adha, Id-ul-Azha, Id-ul-Zuha, Hari Raya Haji, Greater Eid or Bakr-id; the Feast of Sacrifice is the most important feast of the Muslim calendar.

Eid al-Adha falls on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the twelfth and final month in the Islamic calendar.

As the exact day is based on lunar sightings, the date may vary between countries. The date shown on this page for Eid al-Adha is based on the date of Eid al-Adha in Saudi Arabia.The feast re-enacts Ibrahim's obedience by sacrificing a cow or ram. The family eats about a third of the meal and donates the rest to the poor.

Eid al-Adha concludes the Pilgrimage to Mecca. Eid al-Adha lasts for three days and commemorates Ibrahim's (Abraham) willingness to obey God by sacrificing his son.
Muslims believe the son to be Ishmael rather than Isaac as told in the Old Testament. Ishmael is considered the forefather of the Arabs. According to the Koran, Ibrahim was about to sacrifice his son when a voice from heaven stopped him and allowed him to sacrifice a ram instead.
The feast re-enacts Ibrahim's obedience by sacrificing a cow or ram. The family eats about a third of the meal and donates the rest to the poor.