Saudi Arabia to celebrate Eid-ul-Adha on May 27

Saudi Arabia has announced that Eid-ul-Adha will be celebrated on May 27 after the moon for the month of Zilhaj of the Hijri year 1447 was sighted on Sunday evening.

According to the Saudi moon-sighting committee, the Day of Arafah will be observed on May 26.

The moon sighting was also confirmed by the social media platform Inside the Haramain, which focuses on the two holy mosques in Saudi Arabia.

“With the sighting of the crescent moon, the blessed month of Zilhaj begins tonight and Eid-ul-Azha will be celebrated on Wednesday, May 27,” the platform said in a post on X.

Meanwhile, several Southeast Asian countries also announced dates for Zilhaj and Eid-ul-Adha.

Malaysia said the month of Zilhaj will begin on Monday, May 18 and Eid-ul-Adha will be observed on May 27.

Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, also announced that Zilhaj will begin on May 18 and Eid-ul-Adha will be celebrated on May 27. Indonesian Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar said the decision was taken based on moon-sighting reports from 88 locations across the country.

However, Brunei said the crescent moon was not sighted anywhere in the country on Sunday. As a result, the month of Zilkad will complete 30 days on Monday and Zilhaj will begin on Tuesday, May 19. Eid-ul-Adha in Brunei will therefore be celebrated on May 28.

In Bangladesh and several other Asian countries, Eid-ul-Adha is usually observed a day after Saudi Arabia.

Bangladesh’s National Moon Sighting Committee is scheduled to hold a meeting on Monday to determine the date of Eid-ul-Adha in the country based on local moon-sighting reports.

The Islamic calendar is based on moon sightings and the beginning of the month of Zilhaj determines the dates of Hajj and Eid-ul-Adha.

Eid-ul-Adha falls on the 10th day of Zilhaj, while the Day of Arafah is observed on the ninth day of the month.

During Eid-ul-Adha, financially capable Muslims around the world sacrifice animals such as cows, goats, sheep, camels and lambs in remembrance of the devotion and sacrifice associated with the occasion.