Today, Friday, January 2, 2026, the UAE has made a historic change by setting a unified Friday prayer time at 12:45 PM for all emirates. The General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments (Awqaf) announced this to help families and workers have a common prayer time nationwide. Though the exact midday time shifts slightly between cities, the official Jumu'ah prayer now starts simultaneously everywhere. People are advised to reach mosques by 12:20 PM to find space during this first unified prayer. Traffic is expected to be heavy today. Emirates Airline warns of a large number of travelers returning this weekend. For Dubai International Airport (DXB), passengers should arrive at least four hours before flights. On roads, two rushes will occur: school dismissal at 11:30 AM and crowds heading to prayer at 12:45 PM. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has increased Metro and Tram services to support 2.8 million public transport users after New Year. The National Centre of Meteorology forecasts fair to partly cloudy skies with temperatures between 24°C and 26°C, and light winds perfect for Friday family lunches after prayer. This change aligns with the “Year of the Family” project, removing confusion from different emirates having different prayer times. It helps coordinate events and lets students and workers reach home in time for the main weekly prayer service.