Yahoo News Is it Eid tomorrow? Dates for Eid ul Adha 2024 in UK, Saudi and around the world
Muslims are preparing to celebrate the second Eid of the year. But which Eid is it exactly in the Islamic calendar?
We are now approaching Eid ul Adha 2024 with the exact date depending on which moonsighting announcements you followed for the start of the month in the UK and around the world. So when will it be the start of the Eid festivities in your city or country?
Wherever you are, you should be marking Eid ul Adha - the Festival of the Sacrifice - on either June 16 or 17. It's sometimes written as Eid al-Adha and also known as Greater Eid, Bakra Eid, Bakrid, Qurbani Eid, Eid al Kabir, and Kurban Bayrami. You can find out all the key differences from Eid ul Fitr in our detailed guide to the two sets of festivities.
This second Eid of the year, after the earlier Eid ul Fitr, will fall on the 10th day of Dhul Hijjah, the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar. For some, the month began on June 7 while for others, the first day was June 8. This then means Eid ul Adha is either on Sunday, June 16, or Monday, June 17.
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On June 6, Saudi Arabia was the first country to declare the date of Eid ul Adha 2024 after a late sighting of the crescent by an astronomer at Al Hareeq Observatory. Despite astronomical forecasts that said the moon would not be visible in the Middle East, North Africa or the UK on that day, the Saudi Supreme Court accepted the report as a positive moonsighting.
It therefore declared that Dhul Hijjah 1445 would begin on June 7, Hajj Day (the Day of Arafah) will be on Saturday, June 15, and Eid ul Adha on Sunday, June 16. It also meant the Hajj pilgrimage is taking place from June 14 to 18/19.
The Saudi date is significant for some communities elsewhere who follow overseas moonsightings rather than looking for the moon locally. Birmingham's Green Lane Masjid and Community Centre is among those that align themselves with the Saudi Arabia declarations, so it is holding its Eid gatherings on June 16 in Small Heath Park, weather permitting.
It's customary for experts to look for the moon on the 29th day of the existing month. For the Middle East, that was June 6. But for others it was June 7, including organisations in the UK that use local moonsightings rather than relying on Saudi news.
A UK date for Eid ul Adha 2024 was announced on Friday, June 7, following multiple local sightings of the moon, with worshippers taking some stunning pictures of the crescent. That meant the first day of Dhul Hijjah is June 8, and Eid ul Adha will be on Monday, June 17, for those basing it on the UK moonsightings.
Noor TV, an Islamic broadcaster based in the Aston area of Birmingham, confirmed the dates after the positive UK moonsightings. Muslims across the country were encouraged to go out and try to spot the crescent. Dr Zahid Nawaz, a member of Noor TV's Roiyat e Hilal (Moonsighting) Board, said: "It was an amazing moment as we were constantly sharing pictures of the crescent seen in various parts of the UK which included Coventry, Leicester, Birmingham and Derby."
The New Crescent Society also held a live moonsighting event to gather reports from across the UK.
Eid ul Adha 2024 guide to dates around the world
Saudi Arabia: Sunday, June 16
United Arab Emirates: Sunday, June 16
Australia: Sunday, June 16
Egypt: Sunday, June 16
Kenya: Sunday, June 16
Pakistan: Monday, June 17
India: Monday, June 17
South Africa: Monday, June 17
North America (USA and Canada): Monday, June 17
Morocco: Monday, June 17
UK (based on UK moonsightings): Monday, June 17
UK (if following Saudi moonsighting): Sunday, June 16
