Following confirmation from Saudi Arabia‘s moon-sighting committee, the Kingdom’s Supreme Court has announced that Friday, July 31 will be the first day of Eid Al Adha this year. Since the crescent of Dhu al-Hijjah will be visible after sunset tomorrow, July 22 marks the start of the 12th month of the Islamic calendar, and Eid Al Adha will begin on the 10th day.

 

Celebrated by Muslims all around the world as a festival of sacrifice, Eid Al Adha is recognized as a time for prayer and charitable action. Although the spirit of the Islamic holiday will continue to be honored, traditional forms of celebration may be put on hold this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Similar to Eid Al Fitr, large gatherings may be restricted and while places of worship have reopened with the proper social distancing protocols in place, it’s not been announced if worshippers will still be encouraged to perform Eid prayers in their own homes. In the UAE, mosques have reopened at 30 percent capacity for the five daily prayers since July 1 but Friday prayers are still not permitted to prevent larger crowds from gathering.

 

Source: Karina Sharma