New Delhi, May 17:This year’s Hajj-Youm Arafah (the Day of Arafat), considered the principal and most essential pillar of the Hajj pilgrimage, will be observed on May 26.
According to the Saudi Supreme Court, the crescent moon marking the beginning of Dhul Hijjah was sighted on Sunday evening in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and several other countries in the Arab region.
Eid al-Adha will fall on May 27.
The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had declared: “Hajj is Arafah.”
Without being physically present on the plains of Arafat during the specified time, the Hajj is considered invalid and cannot be completed.
The annual five-day pilgrimage will begin on May 25, with more than 1.5 million faithful expected to converge at the tent city of Mina. Pilgrims will engage in frequent supplications and recitation of the Holy Quran, seeking Allah’s blessings.
The Day of Arafah, observed on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah, marks the climax of the Hajj pilgrimage, when pilgrims gather at Mount Arafat and the surrounding plains in prayer and reflection.
The Saudi Supreme Court had earlier called upon Muslims across the Kingdom to sight the crescent moon of Dhul Hijjah on Sunday evening.
The court requested that anyone who sighted the crescent moon, either with the naked eye or through binoculars, report it to the nearest court to register testimony or contact the nearest official centre for assistance.
With the moon sighting confirmed, Dhul Hijjah will begin on May 18, placing Eid al-Adha on May 27 and the Day of Arafah on May 26.
Communities in the UK, UAE, and across the Muslim world are expected to closely follow the announcement, although some countries and organisations may rely on local moon sightings for confirmation of the Islamic dates.
