Adjust Your Friday Shift: Official Prayer Timings Moved to 12:45 PM Across All Emirates

ABU DHABI – The General Authority for Islamic Affairs, Awqaf, and Zakat has issued a major update regarding the Friday (Jumuah) prayer schedule, marking the first significant shift in timing since 2022.

For residents who have grown accustomed to the unified 1:15 PM timing, take note: The schedule is moving forward by 30 minutes.

Here is everything you need to know to ensure you don't miss the sermon in the new year.

The New Schedule

Starting from the first Friday of the new year, January 2, 2026, the call to prayer and the sermon will officially begin at 12:45 PM across all mosques in the UAE.

This replaces the previous fixed timing of 1:15 PM, which was introduced to align with the country's shift to a Saturday-Sunday weekend.

Official Advisory

The Authority issued an alert to worshippers via its sermon archive page, emphasizing the need to be punctual under the new timeline:

"O worshippers... make sure to perform it at its specified time to ensure reward and blessings."

They also clarified that this change applies from Jan 2026, not immediately this week.

Context: Why the Shift?

In 2022, the UAE unified Friday prayers at 1:15 PM to accommodate the half-day work schedule for the public sector and allow employees time to finish work and attend prayers.

The return to a slightly earlier time of 12:45 PM brings the prayer closer to the traditional solar noon window, while still maintaining a fixed schedule for organizational purposes.

What This Means for You:

For Employees: If you have a flexible Friday break, you may need to clock out 30 minutes earlier than usual.

For Commuters: Expect traffic around mosques to peak earlier, likely between 12:15 PM and 1:15 PM.

Save the Date: The new timing kicks in on Friday, January 2, 2026.