Dhu Al Hijjah moon sighting set, Eid Al Adha now expected on this day

Abu Dhabi: Moon sighting committees in Muslim countries across the Arab world and beyond will seek to observe the crescent of Dhu Al Hijjah, the twelfth and final month of the Islamic lunar calendar, on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.

Astronomical calculations indicate that the new moon will be visible using telescopes in parts of Central and Western Asia, most of Africa, and Europe. In addition, the crescent may be visible to the naked eye in wide areas of the Americas.

Given these possibilities, many Muslim-majority countries are expected to declare Wednesday, May 28, 2025, as the first day of Dhu Al Hijjah, with the first day of Eid Al Adha, the festival of sacrifice, likely to fall on Friday, June 6, 2025.

The visibility of the crescent on May 27 varies by location. For example, in Jakarta, the moon will set just 9 minutes after sunset, with an age of 9 hours and 2 minutes, making it impossible to sight even with a telescope.

Meanwhile, in Abu Dhabi, the moon will set 38 minutes after sunset, with an age of 13 hours and 29 minutes and an angular separation of 7.7 degrees from the sun; here, the crescent will only be visible using telescopes.

Similarly, in Mecca, the moon will set 39 minutes after sunset, with an age of 14 hours and 17 minutes and an angular separation of 8.1 degrees, allowing telescope-based sightings only.

In Amman and Jerusalem, the moon will set approximately 48 minutes after sunset, with an age nearing 14 hours and 46 minutes and an angular distance of 8.4 degrees, where sightings may be possible to the naked eye but require exceptionally clear atmospheric conditions.

In Cairo, the moon will set 47 minutes post-sunset with an age of 14 hours and 54 minutes, and in Rabat, it will set 58 minutes after sunset with an age of 17 hours and an angular separation close to 9.9 degrees. Crescent visibility in these cities may be possible with the naked eye, albeit with difficulty and under very clear skies.

According to the International Astronomical Center (IAC), the minimum time the crescent moon was ever seen with the naked eye was after 29 minutes of moonset, and the minimum age was 15 hours and 33 minutes. However, visibility depends on multiple factors, including the moon’s angular distance from the sun and its altitude at the time of observation.

However, if the crescent moon of Dhu Al Hijjah is not sighted on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, then according to Islamic tradition and many countries’ lunar calendar practices, the month of Dhu Al Qi’dah (the 11th month) will complete 30 days. Consequently, the first day of Dhu Al Hijjah will be declared on Thursday, May 29, 2025, instead of Wednesday, May 28.

This means that the pilgrimage rituals of Hajj and the celebration of Eid Al Adha will be delayed by one day, likely occurring on Saturday, June 7, 2025.

Huda Ata is an independent writer based in the UAE.