Saudi Arabia has announced the official dates for Eid Al-Adha after the moon was sighted in the Kingdom last night.
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On Thursday, Saudi Arabia confirmed the sighting of the Dhul-Hijjah crescent moon, signaling the start of the 12th and final month in the Islamic calendar, as well as the official dates of Eid Al-Adha. According to Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court, Dhul-Hijjah begins on Friday, June 7, which means that Eid Al-Adha will take place on Sunday, June 16. It will be preceded by the Day of Arafat on Saturday, June 15, which is also a public holiday in Middle Eastern countries. With this, Saudi Arabia has announced four days off for the public and private sectors in the Kingdom, with work resuming from Wednesday, June 19.
The Day of Arafat marks the pinnacle of Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, which involves making a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca and circumambulating the Kaaba. The following holiday is a major one for Muslims around the world and is also dubbed the festival of sacrifice. The day begins with prayer, and the sacrifice of livestock, usually goat, sheep, cow, and camel.
Although the moon was sighted in Saudi Arabia, it was not spotted in Oman, which declared Saturday, June 8 as the beginning of Dhul-Hijjah, and Monday, June 17 as the first day of Eid Al-Adha. As for the UAE, authorities are yet to confirm the official holiday dates, however, residents can expect at least four days off as the Ministry of Human Resources & Emiratisation states that there will be one day off for Arafat Day and three for Eid Al-Adha. The holiday marks one of the last long weekends for UAE residents this year. While Islamic New Year and Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) birthday are expected to fall on Sunday, July 7, and Sunday, September 15, the UAE National Day will be celebrated from Monday, December 2-Tuesday, December 3.
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