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UAE: Astronomical dates for Arafat day, Eid Al Adha announced

Many Islamic countries rely on their moon sightings to determine the beginning of the month of Dhu Al Hijjah and Eid Al Adha

Published: Sun 11 Jun 2023, 1:19 PM

Updated: Sun 18 Jun 2023, 1:30 PM

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In many Islamic countries, the investigation of the crescent of the month of Dhu Al Hijjah will take place on Sunday, June 18, 2023, corresponding to Dhu Al Qi'dah 29, 1444 AH.

However, sighting the crescent on this day will be difficult, particularly from the centre and west of the Islamic world, even with the use of a telescope. Therefore, it is anticipated that Monday, June 19 will likely be recognised as the first day of the month of Dhu Al Hijjah in many countries. The Arafah day is expected to fall on Tuesday, June 27, and the first day of Eid Al Adha is projected to be Wednesday, June 28.

On Sunday, June 18, 2023, the position of the crescent in several Arab and Islamic cities indicates the following:

  • Jakarta: The moon sets after 7 minutes of sunset, and its age is 6.5 hours. However, even with the use of a telescope, it is not possible to observe the crescent in Jakarta.
  • Abu Dhabi: The moon sets 29 minutes after sunset, and its age is 12.4 hours. Similar to Jakarta, visibility of the crescent is not possible in Abu Dhabi, even with a telescope.
  • Riyadh: The moon sets 31 minutes after sunset, and it is 13 hours old. In Riyadh, it is difficult to observe the crescent, and a telescope is required. However, very clear skies are necessary for successful visibility.
  • Amman and Jerusalem: The moon sets 37 minutes after sunset, and its age is 13.8 hours. In these cities, using a telescope is necessary to see the crescent, and it remains challenging, particularly in the eastern and central regions. Clear skies are crucial for optimal visibility.
  • Cairo: The moon sets 36 minutes after sunset, and it is 14 hours old. Similar to Amman and Jerusalem, using a telescope is required in Cairo to observe the crescent. Clear skies are essential for better visibility.
  • Rabat: The moon sets 44 minutes after sunset, and its age is 16.2 hours. In Rabat, visibility of the crescent using a telescope is possible.

However, it remains challenging, particularly in the eastern and central regions. Clear skies are necessary for optimal visibility.

It is important to note that these calculations are based on surface observations and provide an indication of the expected visibility of the crescent in the mentioned cities.

Many Islamic countries rely on local moon sightings to determine the beginning of the month of Dhul Hijjah and the celebration of Eid Al Adha. They follow their own sighting committees or organisations responsible for verifying the sighting of the crescent moon within their respective countries.

These countries include Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, the Sultanate of Oman, the Kingdom of Morocco, Mauritania and Turkey, and most non-Islamic countries Arabic in Africa.

Considering the sighting of the crescent on Sunday, June 18, is not possible by any means from the east of the Islamic world, and it is not possible on that day with the naked eye from the Islamic world, it is expected that some of the previous countries will announce that Tuesday, June 20 is the first day of the month of Dhul Hijjah and that it will be Thursday, June 29 is the first day of Eid Al Adha in these countries.

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