Page 76 - UAE FATWA PR REPORT - MAY 2025

5/27/25, 1:41 PM Eid al-Adha 2025 moon sighting: UAE to look for crescent moon tonight to confirm June 6 holiday
Will the moon be visible?

Earlier this week, the International Astronomical Center announced that the crescent moon marking the start of
Dhu al-Hijjah 1446 AH will be observed on Tuesday, 27th May, across the Islamic world.

Engineer Mohammad Shawkat Odeh, director of the Abu Dhabi-based center, said that moon sighting will be
possible with telescopes from parts of Central and Western Asia, as well as most of Africa and Europe.
Additionally, it may be visible to the naked eye in large areas of the Americas.

Based on these astronomical predictions, Wednesday, May 28 is expected to be the first day of Dhu al-Hijjah,
making Friday, June 6 the likely date for the first day of Eid al-Adha 2025 in most Islamic countries.

Read| Eid al-Adha 2025: Holiday dates announced in UAE, Qatar, Kuwait & Oman

Why is moon-sighting important?

The timing of Eid al-Adha 2025 is determined by the lunar cycle and the sighting of the crescent moon, which
signals the start of the new lunar month in the Islamic calendar. In the UAE, the moon-sighting committee is
responsible for confirming the sighting of the moon. If the moon is sighted, the following day is declared the
first day of the new month, and Eid al-Adha is celebrated on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah.
The Emirates Astronomy Society says the crescent moon of Dhu al-Hijjah is expected to be visible on May 27.
If the crescent moon is sighted, Wednesday, May 28, will mark the first day of Dhu al-Hijjah. In this case, Eid
al-Adha 2025 in the UAE will fall on Friday, June 6, and Arafat Day will take place a day ahead, on June 5.

Noting that UAE residents get a 4-day holiday, a moon sighting on May 27 means that the holiday would extend
from Thursday, June 5, until Sunday, June 8, for both the public and private sectors.

The day of Eid al-Adha falls on the tenth day in the final (twelfth) month of the Islamic Lunar Calendar; Dhu
al-Hijjah. The day this celebrations fall on is dependent on a legitimate sighting of the moon, following the
completion of the annual Holy Pilgrimage of Hajj.

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