The crescent moon marking the beginning of Dhul-Hijjah has been sighted in the United Arab Emirates, paving the way for the country to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha on 27 May, according to the International Astronomy Centre.
The centre said an image of the Dhul-Hijjah crescent moon was captured on Sunday morning from the Khatam Astronomical Observatory in Abu Dhabi. The photograph was reportedly taken at 9:20am local time when the moon was around nine hours old and positioned 7.8 degrees away from the sun.
Based on the astronomical observation, the UAE is expected to observe Eid-ul-Azha on 27 May.
The announcement has intensified moon-sighting activities across the Middle East and North Africa, where authorities and religious bodies are monitoring the sky to officially determine the start of Dhul-Hijjah and the date of the annual Hajj pilgrimage and Eid celebrations.
The sighting of the Dhul-Hijjah moon is one of the most significant events in the Islamic calendar, as it determines the timing of both Hajj and Eid-ul-Azha, celebrated by Muslims worldwide through prayers, sacrifice and charitable activities.
