Muslims urged to sight Dhul Hijjah moon on Monday

The Supreme Court has called on all Muslims in the Kingdom to spot the new moon on the evening of Monday, the 29th day of the month of Dhul Qadah (July 20). The sighting of the moon will determine the exact beginning of this year's Hajj rituals

"The Supreme Court hopes anyone seeing the moon by the naked eye or the telescope to notify the nearest court and register a testimony or contact the nearest center to help him reach the nearest court," it added, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Saturday.

"The court hopes that whoever has the sighting ability to take interest in the matter and join the committees formed for this purpose in different regions."

According to astronomical calculations, the month of Dhul Hijjah will begin this year on July 22 and the climax of Hajj at the Mount Arafat near Makkah will take place on July 30.

The Hajj is one of Islam's five pillars. Saudi Arabia is bracing for holding a limited pilgrimage this year due to fears of the new coronavirus.

The Kingdom has announced that 70 percent of this year’s pilgrims will be expatriate residents while the remaining 30 percent will be Saudis. The maximum number of participating pilgrims has been set at 10,000 to ensure a safe Hajj for all.