Eyes of world Muslims will be focused on Saudi Arabia next Monday, July 20, as the kingdom looks for the new moon of Dhul Hijjah.

In its annual announcement, the Saudi Supreme Court urged citizens to look for the new moon of the hijri month through naked eyes or binoculars.

“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, Khaleej Times reported.

? Read Also: When Is Hajj 1441/2020?

“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.”

The sighting of the moon will determine the exact beginning of this year’s hajj rituals.

The whole Muslim world usually awaits such announcement from Saudi Arabic to determine hajj and Eid Al-Adha since the country is the location of the hajj rituals.

According to astronomical calculations, hajj 2020 will commence on Tuesday, 28th of July 2020 and will continue till Sunday, 2nd of August 2020; in the evening time.

Hajj on Islamic Calendar

According to the Islamic Calendar, hajj begins on the 8th day of Dhul-Hijjah and ends on the thirteenth day of the same month.

The overarching aim of the Hajj is to strengthen one’s faith and purify him or her of sins. Allah (SWT) mentions the benefits of Hajj as:

“That they may witness benefits for themselves and mention the name of Allah on known days over what He has provided for them of [sacrificial] animals. So eat of them and feed the miserable and poor.” (Quran 22:28)

Hajj consists of several rituals, which are meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith. They also commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham and his family, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon them.

Every able-bodied adult Muslim who can financially afford the trip must perform hajj at least once in a lifetime.