Tunisia Sets Eid Date as When Is Eid Begins Friday Debate — When Is Eid
Tunisia answered when is eid by saying Eid Al-Adha will fall on Wednesday, May 27, after declaring Monday, May 18, the first day of Dhul Hijjah 1447 AH. Turkey made the same start-date announcement, while Saudi Arabia kept to its own moon-sighting process.
Tunisia and Turkey
Tunisia became the first country to officially declare the beginning of Dhul Hijjah. The country said the holy month would begin on Monday, May 18, and fixed Eid Al-Adha for Wednesday, May 27.
Turkey also said Monday, May 18, was the first day of Dhul Hijjah. Turkey uses a pre-calculated lunar calendar based on astronomical computations, unlike many Islamic countries that rely on physical crescent sightings.
That split in method is why the calendar did not move in lockstep across the Islamic world. Tunisia and Turkey marked Saturday, May 16, as the 29th day of Dhul Qadah, while most other Islamic countries, including Saudi Arabia, observed Sunday, May 17, as the 29th day of Dhul Qadah through official moon-sighting announcements issued by religious authorities.
Abu Dhabi crescent photo
The International Astronomy Center said the crescent moon of Dhul Hijjah 1447 AH was photographed during daylight hours from Abu Dhabi by the Khatm Astronomical Observatory on Sunday morning. The image was captured at 9:20am UAE time, with the moon positioned 7.8 degrees away from the sun and approximately nine hours old.
Saudi Arabia kept its own timing process in motion on Sunday evening. The kingdom’s Supreme Court called on Muslims across Saudi Arabia to sight the crescent moon marking the beginning of Dhul Hijjah, and urged anyone who spots it with the naked eye or through binoculars to report to the nearest court and formally register testimony.
Saudi Arabia moon sighting
The court also encouraged citizens to coordinate with nearby centers that assist moon-sighting committees. Officials said Sunday, May 17, corresponds to the 29th day of Dhul Qadah according to the court’s calendar determination, while Umm Al Qura calendar calculations place the same day as the 30th day of Dhul Qadah.
Supreme Court ruling No. 206/H dated 29/10/1447H had earlier declared Saturday, April 18, as the completion of Shawwal and Sunday, April 19, as the beginning of Dhul Qadah. The sequence now leaves Tunisia and Turkey already aligned on the start of Dhul Hijjah, while Saudi Arabia’s moon-sighting route continues through its own court and committee system.
The date matters because the beginning of Dhul Hijjah sets the timing of Hajj and Eid Al Adha observances across countries that follow the lunar calendar. For readers in Tunisia, the holiday now falls on Wednesday, May 27; for others watching Saudi Arabia, the next move depends on the kingdom’s moon-sighting outcome on Sunday evening.
