In many parts of the world, Sunday is synonymous with rest, family time, or religious observance, and for most, it marks the start or end of the weekend. However, there are several countries where Sunday is just another workday. These countries follow different schedules due to cultural, religious, or historical reasons. Let’s take a closer look at some of the countries where Sunday is not a day off and examine their working week structures.
Israel
Israel perhaps is the most surprising of all the places on this list. Even though this is a well-known destination among Christian pilgrims, Sunday falls on a regular workday in Israel. This is so because Israel has adopted a different pattern of weekly activities that are deeply rooted in their Jewish culture. The Jewish Sabbath, or Shabbat, is observed on Friday evening and Saturday evening; therefore, Friday and Saturday are usually considered the weekends. Sunday to Thursday is the working week, and Friday afternoon begins the preparations for Shabbat.
Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, the week starts from Sunday to Thursday; Friday and Saturday fall on the weekend. The majority population of Bangladesh belongs to the religion of Islam; Friday is one of the weekend days because they consider it their day of worship. Thus, government offices and banks work on Sundays, while the weekend of Malaysia starts on Friday. This same pattern is very much practiced throughout various Islamic countries due to the prayerful and resting status of Friday.
Malaysia
The weekend varies depending on the state. For instance, in the states of Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu, the weekend falls on Friday and Saturday because in the Islamic religion, Friday is a day of prayer. But in other places, like the capital, Kuala Lumpur, the weekend is observed on Saturday and Sunday. Still, Sunday remains a workday in some sectors, particularly in government offices and businesses that observe the longer midday prayer break on Fridays.
Afghanistan
In Afghanistan, the standard workweek is from Sunday to Thursday. Friday and Saturday are considered weekends. Friday is a holy day in Islam, and businesses and government offices are closed to pray and rest. Sunday is the first workday of the week in Afghanistan, just like in many other Muslim-majority countries.
Gulf Countries
Most countries in the Gulf region, such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have adopted the Sunday-to-Thursday workweek. Friday and Saturday are the weekend days, with Friday being the more sacred day for religious observance and resting. This pattern resembles the Islamic practices since Friday is regarded as a congregational day of prayer.
Other countries that observe this pattern include Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Libya, Oman, Syria, and Yemen. Sunday is a regular working day in these countries, and the weekend begins on Friday. This pattern is common in North Africa and the Middle East since it is compatible with Islamic practices, where Friday is a religious day.
Other Countries
There are some other countries that observe Sunday as a working day. These countries include Nepal, which follows the Sunday-to-Friday workweek, and the Maldives, where Sunday to Thursday is considered the standard workweek. Similarly, in Oman, the workweek falls between Sunday to Thursday.
Why Do These Countries Work on Sunday?
The main reason Sunday is a regular working day in these countries is religious. In Islam, Friday is the day of rest, and the workweek is shifted to accommodate the prayer day. Similarly, in Israel, the Jewish Sabbath on Saturday results in Friday and Saturday being non-working days, with Sunday starting the workweek.
For some countries, this schedule is based on historical and cultural traditions, where a different day was set aside for rest, and Sunday was just a normal working day.
Sunday is considered a day of rest in most Western countries, but this is not the case in many parts of the world. The workweek in the Middle East, North African countries, and parts of Asia starts on a Sunday while resting on Friday and Saturday. The difference in such work structures is mainly because of religious, historical, and cultural beliefs, which reminds us of how different global work patterns can be.
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