Saudi Arabia announced Thursday that the 2024 Hajj will begin on June 14 after an astronomical observatory spotted a crescent moon on Thursday night, marking the beginning of the month during which the annual pilgrimage takes place.
The Supreme Court ruled that Dhu al-Hijjah, the 12th and last month of the Islamic calendar, will begin on Friday, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
The Hajj pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam and must be performed at least once by every Muslim with the necessary means.
It consists of a series of rituals that take place over at least four days in Mecca and surrounding areas in western Saudi Arabia.
The highlight is on the second day, when pilgrims gather on Mount Arafat for prayer.
This will take place on June 15 this year, while the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha will take place on June 16, the SPA said.
More than 1.8 million Muslims took part in the Hajj pilgrimage last year, according to official figures.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah said “around 1.2 million pilgrims from around the world” had already arrived in Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj.