The moon marking the beginning of the month of Dhul-Hijjah has been sighted in the UAE, and the country will celebrate Eid-ul-Azha on 27 May

As preparations intensify across the Middle East and North Africa for the holy Hajj and Eid-ul-Azha, efforts to sight the moon marking the beginning of Dhul-Hijjah have gathered pace. The International Astronomy Center has announced that an image of the Dhul-Hijjah crescent moon has already been captured in the United Arab Emirates.

According to the center, the crescent moon of Dhul-Hijjah 1447 Hijri was photographed in broad daylight from the Khatam Astronomical Observatory in Abu Dhabi on Sunday (17 May). The image was taken at 9:20am local time, when the moon was about nine hours old and positioned 7.8 degrees away from the sun. Based on the observation, Eid-ul-Azha in the UAE is expected to be observed on Wednesday (27 May).

Following the announcement, moon-sighting activities have intensified across the region. The sighting of the Dhul-Hijjah crescent is considered highly significant as it determines the date of Eid-ul-Azha, one of the most important festivals in the Islamic calendar. Meanwhile, Turkey and Tunisia have officially confirmed that Eid-ul-Azha will also be celebrated on 27 May.

At the same time, Saudi Arabia Supreme Court has urged Muslims across the kingdom to look for the Dhul-Hijjah crescent moon. In a statement issued on Friday, the court requested anyone who sights the moon — either with the naked eye or through binoculars — to report their testimony to the nearest court.