The Zilhaj moon has been sighted in Saudi Arabia and Eidul Azha will fall on June 28 (Wednesday) in the kingdom, Arab media reported.

“The Supreme Court announced today that tomorrow, Monday, will be the first day of Dhu Al-Hijjah, according to the Umm al-Qura calendar, corresponding to June 19, 2023, as the crescent of the month of Dhu Al-Hijjah was sighted today,” according to the Saudi Press Agency.

The Supreme Court decided that standing at Arafat shall be on Tuesday, the ninth day of Zilhajj for this Year, 1444 AH, corresponding to June 27, 2023. Eidul Azha shall be on the following day, Wednesday.

Eidul Azha is a major Islamic festival where Muslims gather for prayer, perform acts of charity and sacrifice an animal, mostly sheep. The United Arab Emirates announced Eid holiday dates for public sector employees from June 27 to June 30, in addition to the two-day weekend on Saturday and Sunday.

This is the first Hajj free of all the coronavirus restrictions.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department has predicted the new moon would be sighted on June 18, suggesting that the first of the Islamic month would likely be observed on June 20.

The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will convene a meeting in Karachi on Monday (tomorrow) to sight the Zilhaj crescent. Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad would preside over the meeting.

Zonal and district Ruet-e-Hilal committees meetings would take place simultaneously at their respective headquarters in various cities.

Eidul Azha commemorates the Quranic tale of the Prophet Ibrahim’s (PBUH) willingness to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to Allah, before the Almighty replaced the son with a ram to be sacrificed instead.