Saudi Arabia has officially announced that the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage will begin on June 4, following the sighting of the crescent moon, which signals the start of the Islamic lunar month.
The announcement was made by the Kingdom’s supreme court and reported by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on Tuesday.
According to the statement, Arafat Day, the spiritual pinnacle of the Hajj, will fall on June 5, with Eid al-Adha, the festival of sacrifice, observed on June 6.
At a Monday press conference, Saudi Hajj Minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah confirmed that over one million international pilgrims had already arrived in the Kingdom ahead of the rites. In 2024, around 1.8 million Muslims participated in the pilgrimage, which is one of the five pillars of Islam and obligatory at least once in the lifetime of all physically and financially capable Muslims.
The Hajj follows the Islamic lunar calendar, meaning its timing shifts each year. Recent pilgrimages have taken place under intense summer heat. In 2024, temperatures soared to 51.8°C (125°F), leading to the deaths of more than 1,300 pilgrims, according to Saudi authorities.
The four-day religious journey culminates on Mount Arafat, where worshippers gather in large numbers for outdoor prayers at the site believed to be where Prophet Mohammed delivered his final sermon.
What you should know
The 2025 Hajj begins on June 4, with key religious observances like Arafat Day and Eid al-Adha immediately following.
Over a million pilgrims are already in Saudi Arabia, and authorities are likely to intensify safety measures following last year’s extreme heat that claimed over 1,300 lives.
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