Saudi Arabia has announced that the Hajj will commence on June 14th, following the sighting of the crescent moon by astronomical observatories on Thursday evening, marking the beginning of the relevant month in the Islamic calendar.
According to the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the Supreme Court has confirmed that the month of Zil Hajj, the twelfth and final month in the Islamic calendar, will commence on Friday.
Hajj, one of the fundamental pillars of Islam, requires all financially capable Muslims to undertake the pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime. This pilgrimage involves a series of rituals conducted over a minimum of four days in Mecca and its surrounding areas in western Saudi Arabia. The apex of the pilgrimage occurs on the second day, as pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for prayers, where Prophet Mohammed delivered his last sermon. This year, this significant event will take place on June 15th, with the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha following on June 16th, as reported by SPA.
Saudi Arabia holds the holiest sites in Islam in Mecca and Medina, and the country generates substantial revenue annually from Hajj and the lesser pilgrimage known as Umrah, which takes place at other times of the year. These pilgrimages also contribute to the prestige of the Saudi monarch, whose official title includes “Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques” in Mecca and Medina. Official figures from last year indicate that over 1.8 million Muslims participated in the Hajj.
During a press conference on Thursday, Tawfiq al-Rabiah, the Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, disclosed that approximately 1.2 million pilgrims from various countries worldwide had already arrived in Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj.
