The crescent moon marking the beginning of Zilhajj has been sighted in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Supreme Court announced on Thursday.
As per the official statement, the first day of Zilhajj will be observed on Friday, June 7.
Consequently, Arafat Day, which holds immense significance as the climax of the Hajj pilgrimage, will fall on Saturday, June 15. Eid-ul-Azha, the festival of sacrifice, will be celebrated the following day on Sunday, June 16.
The announcement was reported by Gulf News, confirming that the sighting of the moon has set the Islamic calendar's key dates in motion. According to the Saudi authorities, the observation aligns with the lunar calculations, placing Arafat Day on the 9th day of Zilhajj and Eid-ul-Azha on the 10th day.
Meanwhile, in Pakistan, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee is expected to convene on Friday, June 7, to observe the Zilhajj moon. Chief Meteorologist Sardar Sarfaraz stated that the Zilhajj moon is expected to be born on June 6 at 5:38 pm.
He expressed strong optimism about the moon being sighted on June 7, noting that by then, the moon would be more than 26 hours old.
The sighting of the Zilhajj moon holds significant religious importance for Muslims around the world, as it sets the dates for the annual Hajj pilgrimage and the subsequent Eid al-Azha celebrations. The confirmation from Saudi Arabia allows pilgrims and worshippers globally to finalize their preparations for these sacred events.
