The Zil Hajj moon appeared in Pakistan on Saturday evening. As a result, Muslims across the country will celebrate Eid al-Adha on May 27. The announcement brought excitement among families preparing for the religious festival.
The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee held its official meeting in Karachi under the leadership of Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad. At the same time, zonal committee meetings took place in Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, and other major cities.
After reviewing multiple testimonies from different regions, the committee confirmed the moon sighting. Therefore, Pakistan confirms Eid al-Adha on May 27, as do several other Muslim countries.
Saudi Arabia also announced the sighting of the Zil Hajj moon. As a result of this decision, both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will celebrate Eid on the same day this year. Arab media reported that the Saudi Supreme Court officially approved the moon sighting reports.
According to Saudi authorities, the first day of Zil Hajj will fall on May 18. Meanwhile, pilgrims will observe the Day of Arafah on May 26 before Eid celebrations begin the next day.
Indonesia also confirmed the moon sighting. Officials from the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs announced that the country would celebrate Eid al-Adha on May 27. Similarly, Tunisia and Türkiye declared May 18 as the first day of Zil Hajj.
Tunisia became one of the first countries to confirm the start of the Islamic month officially. On the other hand, Türkiye followed its astronomical calendar system to finalize the date.
Meanwhile, astronomers in Pakistan had already predicted a high likelihood of moon visibility. Experts explained that the moon was born at 1:01 AM on May 17. By Saturday evening, the moon’s age had reached around 18 hours and 30 minutes.
Weather experts also expected clear skies across much of the country. Therefore, moon sighting conditions remained favorable throughout the evening.
Religious scholars and citizens welcomed the announcement soon after the committee released its decision. Social media users also started sharing Eid greetings and preparations immediately after Pakistan confirmed Eid al-Adha on May 27.
With the official confirmation now complete, markets, transport services, and cattle markets are expected to become more crowded in the coming days as Eid preparations continue across the country.
