Saudi Arabia has announced that the annual Hajj pilgrimage will begin on June 4 after observatories confirmed the sighting of the crescent moon.
The announcement was made on Tuesday by the kingdom’s Supreme Court in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.
Moon sighting committees across several Arab and Muslim-majority countries confirmed the sighting of the crescent moon on Tuesday, May 27, marking the beginning of Dhul Hijjah 1446 AH from Wednesday, May 28, 2025.
The first ten days of Dhul Hijjah are regarded as some of the holiest days in Islam, culminating in the annual pilgrimage of Hajj and Eid-ul-Adha, the festival of sacrifice. With the new month confirmed, Arafat Day (Youmul Hajj) will fall on Thursday, June 5, and Eid-ul-Adha will be celebrated on Friday, June 6, 2025.
Astronomers had earlier predicted that the moon would be visible through telescopes across Central and Western Asia, much of Africa, and parts of Europe. In parts of the Americas, visibility with the naked eye was also likely.
Muslims around the world commemorate Eid-ul-Adha to honour Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah. The occasion is marked by the sacrifice of cattle, with the meat distributed equally among family, relatives, and the underprivileged.
The crescent moon sighting continues to hold deep religious and cultural significance in determining the Islamic calendar and key religious events.
Accordingly, countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Jordan, Iraq, and Syria, along with Muslim communities in the UK, US, France, and Canada, have aligned their Eid celebrations to June 6.
