Eid-ul-Azha likely on Aug 22: Met office

LAHORE: Eid-ul-Azha is likely to fall on August 22 (Wednesday), said the Pakistan Meteorological Department.

According to the met office, there is a high probability of sighting the Zil-Haj moon on August 12. The Zil-Haj moon “will be born on Saturday afternoon” and will be visible on Sunday evening, it added.

While in Saudi Arabia, it’s likely that the month of Zil Hajj will begin on Sunday August 12, the first day of the 12th month on the lunar Islamic calendar, and August 21 the first day of Eid Al Adha.

In Saudi Arabia, bank employees will have a nine-day holiday after the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority said that the break would be from August 17 until August 25.

Eid Al Adha, falls on the 10th day of Zil-Haj, is celebrated by Muslims around 70 days after Eid Al Fitr which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

Also known as the Feast of Sacrifice is one of two Eid festivals observed by the Muslim faithful to commemorate Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his own son to God. Traditionally marked by the slaughter of animals, whose meat is shared with family members and the poor.

The faithful slaughter their sacrificial animals in remembrance of Sunnat-e Ibrahimi, which continues for three days of Eid.