*** Eid Al Adha on July 9; Zul Hijjah moon sighted in Saudi Arabia | THE DAILY TRIBUNE | KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

Eid Al Adha on July 9; Zul Hijjah moon sighted in Saudi Arabia

Agencies| Riyadh                     

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The crescent moon marking the beginning of the month of Zul Hijjah was sighted in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, June 29, according to authorities in the Kingdom.

June 29 will, therefore, be the last day of Zul Qaadah, while the first day of Zul Hijjah will be on June 30. This means that the first day of Eid Al Adha this year will be celebrated on July 9, corresponding to the 10th of Zul Hijjah, which is the last month of the Islamic calendar.

Meanwhile, the Day of Arafah - marked one day before Eid and observed as a day of repentance for Muslims - will fall on July 8 this year.

Eid Al Adha, also known as the Feast of Sacrifice, is marked by offering special prayers. Muslims slaughter livestock — usually, a goat, sheep, cow or camel — to commemorate Prophet Ibrahim's test of faith.

The festival celebrates Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son based on Allah’s command. Before the sacrifice happened, Allah provided him with a ram that the prophet then slaughtered.