The dates for two of Islam's most significant annual observances have been officially confirmed following the sighting of the crescent moon. Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court announced that Monday, 18 May marks the 1st of Dhul-Hijjah 1447 AH, setting in motion the calendar for the Hajj pilgrimage, which begins on 25 May, and Eid al-Adha, which falls on 27 May. The announcement was mirrored by religious authorities in Pakistan, where the Ruet-i-Hilal Committee — the official moon-sighting body — unanimously confirmed the same dates following observations from Karachi, Mardan, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and other cities.

Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in western Saudi Arabia, is the fifth pillar of Islam and is obligatory once in a lifetime for all adult Muslims who are physically and financially able to make the journey. Nearly two million pilgrims are expected to gather this year. The pilgrimage spans five days of rites rooted in Abrahamic tradition, including the tawaf — the sevenfold circumambulation of the Kaaba, the cubic structure at the centre of the Grand Mosque — and the wuquf, or standing vigil, on the plains of Mount Arafat on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah. That day, known as the Day of Arafah and falling on 26 May this year, is considered the spiritual centrepiece of the entire pilgrimage.

Eid al-Adha, which translates as the Festival of Sacrifice, begins on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah and commemorates the Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God. It is marked by special prayers, the ritual slaughter of livestock, and the distribution of meat to family, neighbours and those in need. The festival is observed by Muslim communities across the world, not only by those performing Hajj in Mecca.

Because the Islamic calendar is lunar — with months of 29 or 30 days — Hajj and Eid al-Adha shift approximately 10 to 12 days earlier each year relative to the Gregorian calendar. Pakistan's national space agency, Suparco, had forecast the dates earlier in the week based on astronomical calculations, estimating the new moon of Dhul-Hijjah would be born on 17 May, with the crescent becoming visible along the country's coastal belt that evening under favourable conditions.

The confirmation matters for the roughly 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide who plan their religious observances, travel and charitable giving around these dates. For pilgrims already in Saudi Arabia or en route, the official declaration removes any uncertainty about the precise timing of each rite, from the opening day in Mina on 25 May through to the farewell circumambulation of the Kaaba that brings Hajj to a close.