Saudi Arabia announces start dates for Hajj and Eid Al Adha

The annual Hajj pilgrimage will begin on June 14 with Eid Al Adha falling two days later, Saudi Arabia confirmed on Thursday evening.

The announcement by the Saudi Supreme Court came after the crescent moon, which heralds the start of Dhu Al Hijjah, the 12th and final month in the Islamic calendar, was sighted on Thursday evening.

It means Dhu Al Hijjah will begin on Friday, allowing for the start dates of both Hajj – which falls on the eighth day of the month – and Eid Al Adha, which commences on its tenth day, to be determined.

Hajj will begin on Friday, June 14, followed by Arafat Day the following day, with Eid Al Adha celebrations beginning on Sunday, June 16.

Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court had called on Muslims in the kingdom to sight the crescent moon on Thursday evening. An official committee was also chosen to try to spot the moon at sunset.

The entire month of Dhu Al Hijjah, is holy, with a series of days important to the Muslim faith.

Dhu Al Hijjah is considered one of the four sacred months for Muslims, called Al Ash-hur Al Hurom. The others months are Rajab, (the seventh month), Dhu Al Qaeda (11th) and Muharram (first).

Hajj and Eid Al Adha explained

Millions of Muslims travel to Makkah to perform Hajj each year, with many also heading farther north to the city of Madinah.

All able Muslims are required to make the Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah at least once in their lifetime. Hajj and the other four pillars of Islam form a foundation of life for Muslims.

The annual pilgrimage takes place during Dhu Al Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar and lasts for about four to six days.

Saudi Arabia said it will allow up to two million pilgrims from abroad this year and has expanded capacity several years after the coronavirus pandemic limited access to the holy sites. Last year, about 1.8 million Muslims from around the world performed the Hajj.

Eid Al Adha means “festival of the sacrifice”. It coincides with the Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah.

The sacrifice the holiday commemorates is explained in the Quran, which tells of how the Prophet Ibrahim was asked by God in a dream to sacrifice his son, Ismail, as a test of his faith.

Warning of high temperature

Saudi Arabia has forecast an average high temperature of up to 48ºC in Makkah during the Hajj pilgrimage this month.

“The expected climate for Hajj this year is an increase in average temperatures of one and a half to two degrees above normal in Makkah and Madinah,” National Meteorology Centre chief Ayman Ghulam said on Tuesday.

He said afternoon temperatures could peak at 48ºC.

“We expect relative humidity of 25 per cent, and although we expect a low probability of rain during most days, there’s some forecast of heavy rains in the high plains of Taif that may then make its way to the holy sites,” he said.