Saudi King
Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud changed the kingdom’s official work week to
Sunday through Thursday, citing “lost economic opportunities” from being out of
synch with the rest of the world on the Saudi weekend.
The switch from Saudi Arabia’s Saturday-to-Wednesday work week, and
Thursday-Friday weekend, was announced on Sunday in a royal decree carried on
state print and broadcast media. The change overrides years of objections from
religious conservatives that Saudi Arabia, home of the most important two sites
of Islam, should keep a weekend distinct from that of the West.“We will be copying the Jews and the Christians,” prominent Saudi businessman
Abdul Rahman Al Jeraisy said in 2007, when the king’s Shura advisory council
considered the change.The Saudi stock exchange, Saudi central bank, and other financial institutions and government ministries will move to a Friday and Saturday weekend starting on June 29, the royal decree said.
Schools would make the change with the start of the new academic year, the king said.
Bringing the
kingdom’s weekend in line with the rest of the world would “achieve significant
gains for the kingdom, particularly in the economic arena,” the decree said.
Friday is the main day of prayer for Muslims. With Sunday’s change, Saudi Arabia, following Oman, becomes the last country in the Gulf Cooperation Council to abandon a Thursday-Friday weekend.
The kingdom has toyed with a Friday-Saturday weekend at least since 2007. The Shura Council tabled the change that year, in the face of religious objections.
The Shura Council took the matter up for study again earlier this year, however. Observers said that signalled a royal will to make the change.
Saudi newspapers have cited informal polls showing a majority of ordinary Saudis and businesspeople support ditching the Thursday-Friday weekend on the grounds of lost productivity.
Friday is the main day of prayer for Muslims. With Sunday’s change, Saudi Arabia, following Oman, becomes the last country in the Gulf Cooperation Council to abandon a Thursday-Friday weekend.
The kingdom has toyed with a Friday-Saturday weekend at least since 2007. The Shura Council tabled the change that year, in the face of religious objections.
The Shura Council took the matter up for study again earlier this year, however. Observers said that signalled a royal will to make the change.
Saudi newspapers have cited informal polls showing a majority of ordinary Saudis and businesspeople support ditching the Thursday-Friday weekend on the grounds of lost productivity.
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