Saudi to Sight Zulhijjah crescent moon today for Arafah, Aidiladha dates
MAKKAH: The Saudi Arabian government will conduct the crescent moon sighting today (May 27) to determine the date of 1 Zulhijjah, which will then establish the date for the Day of Arafah and Hari Raya Aidiladha, said the head of the Malaysian haj delegation Mohd Hisham Harun.
'The official decision is expected to be announced after Maghrib prayers (local time),' he told reporters after visiting the Masyair operations area here on Monday.
Mohd Hisham said that to ensure the proper observance of religious rites, the Panel of Haj Guidance Reference Experts for the 1446H season has determined that the midpoint of the night on 10 Zulhijjah will begin at 11.36 pm.
'This setting of time is crucial as it marks the beginning of the overnight stay (mabit) in Muzdalifah, the time for the stoning ritual at Jamrah Kubra, the start of the initial tahallul (hair trimming), and the commencement of the Haj Tawaf,' he said.
He said the minimum duration for mabit in Mina on the nights of 11th, 12th, and 13th Zulhijjah has been set at no less than 4 hours and 35 minutes after Maghrib, following religious guidelines.
Meanwhile, Mohd Hisham said the tents in Arafah and Mina for the Masyair operations involving Malaysian pilgrims are over 95 per cent ready and are expected to be fully completed within the next three days.
'Large tents can accommodate more than 200 people at a time, and each tent is clearly labelled with the maktab (accommodation) number and tent number. Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) will be allocated tent numbers in Arafah and Mina, and pilgrims can soon check these details via the TH Hujjaj app,' he said.
The Masyair operation is the peak of the haj pilgrimage, which involves the movement of Malaysian pilgrims to Arafah, Muzdalifah, and Mina over five days from 8 to 13 Zulhijjah, to fulfill the essential and obligatory rites of the pilgrimage.
Mohd Hisham said pilgrims would be placed in open areas without tents in Muzdalifah according to their maktab groupings, and the Masyarik authorities would provide mats and carpets throughout the mabit area to ensure their comfort.
'TH hopes that pilgrims will practice tolerance and assist one another while in Mina, given the limited tent space, with each tent accommodating between 16 to 20 pilgrims,' he said.
He said the facilities provided in Arafah and Mina include sufficient public toilets, ready-to-eat meals delivered to pilgrims' tents three times a day, and temporary field medical consultation services operating 24 hours a day.
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