CAIRO: Saudi Arabia officially announced Monday that Eid al-Adha or “Feast of Sacrifice” will start on Thursday, Sept. 24, according to a statement by the Saudi High Court.
The Kingdom’s moon-sighting authority announced after watching the crescent of month Dhul Hijjah; the last month in the 12-month Islamic calendar.
On the eighth day of Dhul Hijjah, Muslim pilgrims start performing the five-day Hajj; the peak rituals fall on the ninth day, which is called “Day of Arafat.” The day is named after Mount Arafat, on which the Prophet Muhammad stood to give the farewell sermon for Muslims who accompanied him for the Hajj. Muslims worldwide celebrate the Eid al-Adha after pilgrims descend from the mountain.
The four-day feast commemorates the Prophet Ibrahim’s obedience to God through his willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail.