Eid Al Adha 2019 to begin on August 11, Zul Hijjah moon sighted in Saudi Arabia

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Eid Al Adha 2019, Zul Hijjah, moon sighted, Eid moon,

Dubai - The sighting of the moon indicates that Friday, Aug 2, would be Zul Hijjah 1.

By Saman Haziq

Published: Thu 1 Aug 2019, 8:09 PM

Last updated: Sat 3 Aug 2019, 12:22 PM

Eid Al Adha will be marked across the UAE on August 11, Sunday.
The crescent for the last month of the Islamic lunar calendar Zul Hijjah was sighted on Thursday evening by an observatory in Saudi Arabia and various bodies, making Friday - August 2, the first day of Zul Hijjah.
Accordingly, the Day of Arafat, which is the day of Haj that falls a day before Eid Al Adha is on Aug 10, Saturday.

Supreme Court: the stand at Arafa Mount on the outskirts of Makkah, the peak of Hajj ritual, falls on Saturday, 10th of August 2019 and the blessed Eid Al-Adh-ha falls on the next day, that's Sunday, August 11, 2019.#SPAGOV
- SPAENG (@Spa_Eng) August 1, 2019

As per previous announcements by the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, the Day of Arafat and the three days that follow, August 11 to 13, will be an official holiday for both private and public sector employees.

#BREAKING: Dhu al-Hijjah crescent reportedly seen in #SaudiArabia's Tumair observatory, marking the beginning of the month in which the Islamic ritual of #Haj takes place. pic.twitter.com/m5brqgklsj
- Saudi Gazette (@Saudi_Gazette) August 1, 2019

Breaking: Dhu al-Hijjah crescent reportedly seen in Saudi Arabia's Tumair observatory, marking the beginning of the month in which the Islamic ritual of Hajj takes place. https://t.co/oHRZmibIEW pic.twitter.com/AOGKaYvIOF
- Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) August 1, 2019

Eid Al Adha, or the 'festival of sacrifice', marks the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son out of faith to Allah.
To commemorate the ultimate show of obedience, the prescribed animal (usually goat or sheep) is sacrificed by Muslims and divided into three parts: one third of the share is given to the poor; another third is given to relatives, friends and neighbors; and the remaining third is retained by the family.
The festival is celebrated by 1.6 billion Muslims across the globe.
saman@khaleejtimes.com