Moon sighting for Eid al-Adha is the established Islamic method for determining the dates of the annual pilgrimage (Hajj) and the Festival of Sacrifice. While the sighting of the new moon is widely recognized for commencing and concluding the month of Ramadan, questions often arise regarding its application to the month of Dhul-Hijjah, specifically for determining the Day of Arafah and Eid al-Adha. This article explores the Islamic basis for this practice and the scholarly consensus on global versus local sighting.
The Islamic Basis for Sighting in Dhul-Hijjah
Just as the start of Ramadan is determined by the sighting of the crescent moon, the determination of the Day of Arafah and Eid al-Adha follows the same lunar calendar principles.
Prominent scholars clarify that the Day of Arafah falls on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah, and Eid al-Adha falls on the 10th. These dates cannot be fixed arbitrarily; they are identified based on sighting the new moon to establish the 1st day of Dhul-Hijjah. Once the beginning of the month is confirmed through sighting, the subsequent dates—including the 9th (Arafah) and the 10th (Eid)—are automatically determined based on that initial sighting. Therefore, the sighting of the moon is the foundational “Islamic basis” for these holy days.
Global versus Local Sighting
A well-known divergence of opinion exists among Muslim jurists regarding the scope of moon sighting:
- Local Sighting: Some jurists argue that each country or region should rely on its own moon sighting to determine the start of the lunar month.
- Global Sighting: Others hold the view that if the new moon is validly sighted in any Muslim country, that sighting becomes binding on all other countries, particularly those that share part of the night.
The Ruling for Pilgrims and Saudi Arabia
Regarding the specific context of the Hajj pilgrimage, scholars state that the moon sighting conducted in Saudi Arabia is binding on those performing Hajj. For the pilgrims, adhering to the local sighting in Mecca is essential to ensure the unity of the Hajj rituals, such as standing at Arafah.
Additionally, for Muslims residing outside of Saudi Arabia who follow the juristic opinion of “global sighting” (where one valid sighting suffices for the Ummah), the announcement from Saudi Arabia would also be binding. However, for those following the “local sighting” opinion, they would adhere to the sighting confirmed in their specific region.
