National

Zilhaj moon sighted, Eid-ul- Azha on September 2

Eid-ul- Azha will be celebrated across the country on Saturday, September 2, 2017 as the Zilhaj moon was sighted on Wednesday.

The national moon sighting committee announced the decision following a meeting at Islamic Foundation in Dhaka after receiving reports of moon sighting.

Saudi Arabia’s High Judicial Court has announced that, based on confirmed sightings of the new moon crescent on Tuesday, the first day of Eid al-Azha 1438 will be Friday, September 1.

The Eid al-Azha is Islam’s holiest festival celebrated annually around the world and is an official holiday in Muslim-majority countries.

Eid al-Azha in Arabic literally means "festival of the sacrifice", and for Muslims, it commemorates the day when prophet Abraham was going to sacrifice his son but was instructed by God to offer an animal instead.