Saudi Arabia: al-Adha holiday is on January 10th

The supreme judicial council in Saudi Arabia announced on Sunday that Eid al-Adha (holiday) for this year will fall on January 10th, and that pilgrims standing on mount Arafat, the most important of al-Haj rituals will occur on Monday January 9th.

In a statement, the council said that "it was proved by the supreme judicial council that the Hijra month Zee al-Hija for this Hijra year of 1426 will be on Sunday, the first of Zee al-Hija month according to Um al-Qura Calendar which falls January 1st, 2006. Thereby standing on Arafah mountain will be on Monday 9th of Zee al-Hija month for 1426 Hijra year, which falls ( January 9th) for 2006 and Eid al-Adha eventually on Tuesday January 10th, 2006.

One official at the Saudi ministry of interior said that 1.108 million pilgrims from several Islamic countries arrived in Saudi Arabia to perform al-Haj rituals, which will be starting in the second week of this month, January.