Nov 9 2010
The hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, the largest annual gathering in the world, will start on November 14, Saudi authorities reported on Saturday following the sighting of the crescent moon.
The official SPA news agency reported that official astronomers had confirmed the dates, which will mean the Eid al Adha holy day and festival will start two days later on November 16 in Saudi Arabia. The sighting of the crescent moon marks the birth of a new month in the Islamic lunar calendar which begins from the year that Muhammad and his companions migrated from Mecca to Medinah. This month is ‘Dhul-Hijjah’, the month pertaining to Hajj.
The Hajj is the world’s largest annual gathering, larger than any other religious or non-religious event and will see around 1.5m Muslims plus converge on the holy cities of Mecca and Medina in western Saudi Arabia. The event focuses on Mecca, Islam’s holiest site and the birthplace of the Prophet Mohammad and one part of the five pillars of Islam.
Most of the pilgrims initially set down in Madinah for the first leg of the pilgrimage and then head over to Mecca signifying the beginning of Hajj, this is expected to occur within the next week.
Official holidays for the government and private sectors have yet to be announced but are expected to fall on the days that have announced.