Saudi Arabia Calls For Dhu Al Hijjah Moon Sighting On May 17

Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court has called on Muslims across the Kingdom to observe the crescent moon marking the beginning of Dhu Al Hijjah on the evening of Sunday, May 17, corresponding to the 29th of Dhu Al Qa’dah in the Umm Al Qura calendar. In a statement, the court urged anyone capable of sighting the crescent moon to participate in the official moon-sighting committees formed across the Kingdom. Meanwhile, the International Astronomical Center said Islamic countries are expected to observe the Dhu Al Hijjah crescent on Sunday, May 17, with visibility forecasts indicating that the moon may be seen using telescopes from East Asia, southern Africa and southern parts of South America, while naked-eye visibility is expected across parts of central and western Asia, North Africa and most of the Americas. Engineer Mohammed Shawkat Odeh, Director of the International Astronomical Center, said current astronomical calculations suggest that Monday, May 18, is expected to mark the first day of Dhu Al Hijjah, while Wednesday, May 27, is likely to be the first day of Eid Al Adha in most Islamic countries. He added that crescent moon visibility on Sunday is expected to vary between cities. In Abu Dhabi, the moon is forecast to set […]