Saudi Arabia, NSCIA Declares Eid-al-Adha On September 1
Saudi Arabia’s High Judicial Court has announced that, based on confirmed sightings of the new moon crescent on Tuesday, the first day of Eid al-Adha 1438 will be Friday, September 1.
Indonesia, Jordan, and Malaysia had also announced the same.
| Confirmed September 1 |
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Pakistan announced Saturday, September 2 would be the first day of Eid.
Bangladesh, Pakistan and India were also sighting the moon on Tuesday, which for them is the 29th day of the Dhu al-Qidah lunar calendar. For Saudi Arabia, August 22 corresponds to the 30th of Dhu al-Qidah.
عاجل: هلال شهر ذي الحجة كما تمت رؤيته قبل قليل من قبل عضو مركز الفلك الدولي في سلطنة عمان المهندس محمد البوسعيدي. pic.twitter.com/aoQngDJ1cL
— مركز الفلك الدولي (@AstronomyCenter) August 22, 2017
The Eid al-Adha is Islam’s holiest festival celebrated annually around the world and is an official holiday in Muslim-majority countries.
Eid al-Adha in Arabic literally means “festival of the sacrifice”, and for Muslims, it commemorates the day when prophet Abraham was going to sacrifice his son but was instructed by God to offer an animal instead.
Eid al-Adha is also the third day of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), under the leadership of its President-General and Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alh. Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, announced to Nigerian Muslim Ummah that, there was no positive sighting of the crescent of Dhul-Hijjah, 1438AH in Nigeria on the 29th of Dhul-Qa’dah, 1438AH, equivalent to 22nd August, 2017.
However, scholars have advised His Eminence, the President-General, to declare Wednesday, 23rd August, 2017 as the 1st of Dhul-Hijjah, 1438AH, in accordance with the calculation of Saudi Arabia (where Hajj is performed), owing to the fact that the weather was predominantly bad for sighting of the crescent of Dhul-Hijjah in most cities of Nigeria.
The Council in a statement by Director of Administration, Ustaz Christian Isa Okonkwo enjoins the Nigerian Muslim Ummah to continue to promote peaceful coexistence and unity among all the citizens of the country.
The President-General of NSCIA and Sultan of Sokoto, has approved Wednesday, 23rd August, 2017 as the 1st day of Dhul-Hijjah, 1438AH.
