File: muslims killing a ram for sacrifice on Eid-el-Kabir

Saudi Arabia officially declares Friday, September 1 the first day of Eid al-Adha 2017, Al Jazeera and news agencies are reporting.

A report in Al Jazeera on Tuesday evening indicated that Saudi Arabia’s High Judicial Court has announced that, based on confirmed sightings of the new moon crescent on Tuesday, the first day of Eid al-Adha 1438 will be Friday, September 1.

The television station also added that Indonesia, Jordan, and Malaysia had also announced the same.

According to Al Jazeera, Bangladesh, Pakistan and India are also sighting the moon on Tuesday, which for them is the 29th day of the Dhu al-Qidah lunar calendar. For Saudi Arabia, August 22 corresponds to the 30th of Dhu al-Qidah.

The Eid al-Adha is Islam’s holiest festival celebrated annually around the world and is an official holiday in Muslim-majority countries.

Eid al-Adha in Arabic literally means “festival of the sacrifice”, and for Muslims it commemorates the day when prophet Abraham was going to sacrifice his son but was instructed by God to offer an animal instead.

Eid al-Adha is also the third day of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.

Credit: Al Jazeera and news agencies