To confirm the date and time of Eid al Adha 2026, Hajj 2026, and Arafat Day, the Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia and the Moon Sighting Committees in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Qatar, India, Jordan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other nations have called on Muslims to report if they see the new moon of the Holy month of Dhul Hijjah today, Sunday, 29th of Dhu al-Qadah 1447 AH, which is May 17.
After the evening (Maghrib) prayers on the 29th of the lunar month, Ruet-e-Hilal (moon-sighting) committees in South Asia, including India and Pakistan, gather to assess moon-sighting testimonies and announce the beginning of new Islamic months.
This is a rare occurrence when the lunar calendar of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries has matched with the Indian subcontinent as the 29th of Dhul Qadah is being observed today across all Muslim nations.
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The Hajj schedule and the precise date of Youme Arafat, also known as the Day of Arafah 2026, will also be confirmed by the appearance of the Dhul Hijjah Moon today.
It is is unlikely that the Dhul Hijjah Moon will be sighted today in the Indian subcontinent, as Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations are usually one day ahead of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
However, ahead of official moon-sighting observations around the Islamic world, the first picture of the Dhu Al Hijjah crescent moon for the year 1447H was taken in daylight over Abu Dhabi.
Later, clarifying, before the formal moon-sighting procedure on Sunday, the UAE's Al Khatim Astronomical Observatory emphasised that the crescent shown in the picture was the last crescent of Dhu Al Qadah and not the first crescent of Dhu Al Hijjah.
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The Al Khatim Astronomical Observatory, which is affiliated with the International Astronomical Centre, took the picture on Sunday at 9:20 a.m. UAE time.
Astronomer Mohammed Shawkat Odeh took pictures of the crescent with assistance from Anas Mohammed, Osama Ghannam, and Khalfan Al Nuaimi of the observatory crew.
In Turkey, Dhu al-Hijjah will begin on Monday, May 18, and Eid al-Adha will take place on Wednesday, May 27.
The announcement comes after the nation's pre-calculated Islamic calendar system, which is based more on astronomical calculations than actual moon sightings.
The start of Dhu Al Hijjah for 2026 has been confirmed by Tunisia, which has designated Wednesday, May 27, as Eid Al Adha and Monday, May 18, as the first day of the Islamic month.
After designating Saturday, May 16, as the 29th day of Dhu Al Qadah, Tunisia became the first to announce the date of Eid Al Adha formally.
The Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia has asked Muslims throughout the Kingdom to observe the crescent moon on Sunday, May 17, which corresponds to the 29th of Dhu Al Qadah and marks the beginning of Dhu Al Hijjah.
Official moon-sighting committees have requested participation from citizens and locals.
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