Eid al Adha 2023 Moon Sighting Live Update: The Royal Court of Saudi Arabia will meet after Maghreb Prayers (07:15 PM Makkah Time appr.) today i.e. Sunday June 18, 2023 to confirm the moon sighting reports received if any.
Similar meeting of moon sighting committees and religious affairs departement in UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and other Arab states will also be held after Maghreb Salah.
01:00 AM (Makkah Time): The Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia and the Moon Sighting Committees in United Arab Emirate (UAE), Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq, Bahrain, Jordan and other Arab states have appealed Muslims to spot the new moon of the Holy month of Dhul Hijjah today i.e. Sunday 29th of Dhul Qadah 1444 AH corresponding to June 18, 2023 to confirm the date and time of Eid al Adha 2023 and Hajj 2023.
"The Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia has called upon residents of the Kingdom to search for the crescent of the month of Dhul Hijjah 1444 on the evening of Wednesday, 29 Dhul Qadah 1444 H, corresponding to June 18, 2023 and report to any sightings", the Saudi Royal Court said in a statement.
Special arrangements have been made and general appeals have also been issued by the authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE - mainly Abu Dhabi and Dubai), Qatar, Iraq and other Gulf states including Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Muscat, Oman, Yemen, Sudan, Egypt, Tunisia, Syria and Palestine to sight the Eid al Adha Moon today on Sunday 29th Dhul Qadah 1444H of the Islamic Calendar that corresponds to 18th of June 2023.
The Saudi Supreme Court’s special session will sit and deliberate today on Sunday evening the results of the crescent search and will issue a decision shortly after Maghreb Prayers.
The Kingdom’s main observations are made from Sudair and Tumair and sightings from these cities are part of the official decision.
Eid al Adha (also known as Bakra Eid, Eid uz Zuha in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and around), is celebrated all across the world on 10th of Dhul Hijjah - the month revered as one of the holiest months is Islamic calendar.
1. If the new moon is sighted today i.e. Sunday June 18, 2023, then it will mean the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah 1444 AH has commenced on Monday June 19, 2023 and the first day of Eid al Adha will be on Wednesday June 28, 2023. 2. If there is no moon sighting today, then Eid al Adha festivities will begin on Thursday June 29, 2023, as the holiday is always celebrated on the 10th day of the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah as per the tradition of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him), a statement issued by the moon sighting authorities said.
1. If the new moon is sighted today i.e. Sunday June 18, 2023, then it will mean the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah 1444 AH has commenced on Monday June 19, 2023 and the first day of Eid al Adha will be on Wednesday June 28, 2023.
2. If there is no moon sighting today, then Eid al Adha festivities will begin on Thursday June 29, 2023, as the holiday is always celebrated on the 10th day of the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah as per the tradition of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him), a statement issued by the moon sighting authorities said.
Traditionally, the Eid al Adha festival lasts for four days but public holidays vary from country to country.
Accordingly, Youm e Arafat 2023 (Youme Arafah or Hajj Day), which falls on 9th of Dhul Hijjah, will be either on Tuesday June 27 or Wednesday June 28, 2023.
Youm e Arafat (Youme Arafah) is 9th day of Dhul Hijjah when millions of Muslims from across the world gather on the plains of Mount Arafat to perform Hajj. Saudi Arabia has restored the Haj quota to pre-pandemic level. It means around 2.5 million Muslims from around the world will perform Hajj this year.
The Saudi givernment had allowed 1 million Muslims from around the world to perform Hajj in 2022. In 2020, only 1000 Muslims performed Hajj whereas in 2021 close to 60,000 pilgrims participated in the annual ritual. The number of pilgrims in 2020, 2021 and 2022 was curtailed because of Covid-19.
Hajj and Eid al Adha ( also known as Bakra Eid, Eid ul Azha and Eid uz Zuha in the Indian subcontinent) are celebrated to commemorate the sacrifices made by Prophet Ibrahim, his noble wife Hager and their son Prophet Ismael (peace be upon all of them).
In India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and other South Asian countries the Moon Sighting Committees, Hilal Committees and Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will meet Monday June 19, 2023 or Tuesday June 20, 2023 as per the date of Islamic Calendar in these countries to decide on the sighting of the Dhul Hajjah Moon.
Similarly, Muslims in the United States (USA), United Kingdom (UK), Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Indonesia, Malaysia, France, Germany and other countries too will celebrate Eid al Adha either on Wednesday June 28 or Thursday June 29, 2023.
The final decision will be taken on Sunday June 18, 2023 by the moon sighting committee operating from these countries.
Decision on Muslim festivals Eid al Fitr and Eid al Adha is based on lunar system. As per this system, the first day of a new month is decided if moon is sighted on 29th day of the preceding month. In case the moon is not sighted, the month is counted for whole of 30 days.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Palestine and other Arab countries have already announced Eid al Adha holidays.
According to the UAE’s approved holiday calendar, Eid Al Adha holiday will be four days starting from June 27 to July 01, 2023 that could be extended till July 04, 2023 if the cabinet approves, local media reported.
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