RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court has asked people to sight the crescent of Dhu Al-Hijjah on Friday evening.
Dhu Al-Hijjah is the month during which Hajj pilgrimage takes place and it is the last month of the Islamic calendar.
Anyone who sights the crescent on Friday after sunset should inform the nearest court.
This year, the first of Dhu Al-Hijjah will fall on either July 10 or July 11 depending on the sighting of the crescent. Hajj will start on Dhu Al-Hijjah 8 and end on Dhu Al-Hijjah 12.
Muslims are required to perform Hajj once in their lifetime if they are healthy and have the financial means to do so.
Around 60,000 people from the Kingdom will perform Hajj this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, a dramatically reduced figure compared to the 2.5 million people who performed the pilgrimage in pre-pandemic 2019.
