Muslims urged to report sightings of crescent moon on Thursday

The new moon will mark the start of the final month of the Islamic calender

A man looks for the new crescent moon to indicate the start of a new Islamic month. Pawan Singh / The National
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The Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia has called on Muslims in the Kingdom to report sightings of the crescent moon on Thursday to mark the start of the final month of the Islamic calendar.

Moon sightings with the naked eye or binoculars can be reported to the nearest court, the Saudi Press Agency announced on Wednesday.

The new moon heralds the beginning of Dhu Al Hijjah, the last month in the 12-month Islamic calendar. The month translates as Month of the Pilgrimage and is when Muslims perform the pilgrimage to Makkah, a pillar of Islam required of all able Muslims. Hajj is observed on the eighth, ninth and tenth of the month.

The Day of Arafat, when Muslims travel from Mina to Arafat, is observed on the ninth and is expected to fall on August 10 this year.

Eid Al Adha, the festival of the sacrifice, begins at moon rise on the tenth and finishes at sunset on the 13th of Dhu Al Hijjah. It is expected to fall on August 11 or 12. Eid Al Adha marks Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail to God. God intervened and sent a sheep to take Ismail’s place.

The Hijri New Year, a public holiday, is expected to fall on August 31.