The calendar

A three-day weekend receiving validation in most countries

                                By Erick Diang'a

The international calendar has for long considered a week to consist of 7 days and a year to have 365/366 days. With the emergence of different religions and commemorations in the world, ideas on marking specific holidays seem to alter the initial Gregorian weekend calendar.

In Kenya's major cities, where Saturday and Sunday are the weekends, Friday is almost receiving a similar treatment as the two due to party mood that goes with it. People in either private or government offices dress to least portray Friday as a working day; some prefer leaving offices early to welcome the weekend ahead. Weekend edition programmes on TV Broadcasts also display such on Friday evenings - a move that by default challenges the perceptions of viewers on Friday as a regular working day.

Islam and Christianity recognize Sunday (Yawn al - aHad) in Arabic as the first day of the week. However, Muslims segregate Friday as the holy day for worshiping Allah. The basis of choosing Friday as the worship day roots back to the Qur’an’s recital where Adam was created on Friday, entered Paradise on Friday, together with Eve landed on this planet on a Friday and died on a Friday.

Egypt and Saudi Arabia Muslims  observe  Friday and Saturday as weekends while Iran commemorate Friday only as their  weekend, Muslims in Turkey appreciate the western calendar that obeys Saturday and Sunday as the resting days of the week. However, they include Friday which they consider the greatest of the three.

Saturday and Sunday are the recognized weekends for Christians with a majority worshipping on Sunday. Catholics have since abode by Sunday worships while a branch of Christianity, Protestants with origin in Germany, have varied opinions on the day of worship. For instance, William Millar - founder of Seventh Day Adventist Church denomination, depicted biblical verse in Genesis stating that God created for six days and rested on the seventh day which was a Sabbath. The denomination believes in beginning of Sabbath as from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset.

Seventh day Adventist church in Tonga is the only SDA Church known for holding church services on Sunday contrary to what was stipulated by Mr William and associates. The change of Sabbath day in Tonga has received international complaints. Tonga-south Pacific island’s kingdom has 176 Islands, 36 of which are inhabited. It’s the only constitutional monarchy in the pacific declared by King George under British protectorate in 1875.

In Hinduism each day of the week is associated or dedicated to a particular god. Hence Hindus worship on all the seven days of the week. However Monday, Friday and Saturday are the days in which most of the Hindus go to the temple for special Puja or worship.

In Gambia, President Yahya Jammeh added Friday to the regular weekend of Saturday and Sunday. From Gambia’s The Daily News, the president summoned public workers to work for only four days to have enough time for farming, worshipping and resting.

"This new arrangement will allow Gambians to devote more time to prayers, social activities and agriculture - going back to the land and grow what we eat and eat what we grow, for a healthy and wealthy nation." President Yahya said. The declaration took effect from first January 2013 amid oppositions raging from Gambia’s law makers who claimed the move would thwart economic stability of Gambia due to reduced working hours.