The Supreme Court of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has officially announced that the Day of Arafat—the pinnacle of the annual Islamic pilgrimage (Hajj)—will fall on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. Consequently, the Eid-el-Kabir (Sallah) celebrations will commence globally on Wednesday, May 27, 2026.
The announcement follows the official sighting of the crescent moon of Dhul-Hijjah in Saudi Arabia on Sunday evening, marking the first day of the holy month on Monday, May 18. This development effectively sets the clock ticking for over 65,000 Nigerian pilgrims currently being conveyed to the Holy Land.
NAHCON Scrambles to Meet Airlift Deadlines
In Abuja, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) immediately convened an emergency operational meeting following the Saudi declaration. With the Day of Arafat firmly set for May 26, the commission faces a strict deadline to conclude the airlift of all registered Nigerian pilgrims before the closure of Saudi airspace.
Speaking to The Daily Trust at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Monday morning, NAHCON’s Head of Operations, Alhaji Abdullahi Magaji, assured families that the commission is operating on a high-velocity schedule.
“The Saudi announcement gives us exactly eight days to finish our outbound operations,” Magaji stated. “As of this morning, we have successfully transported 72% of our pilgrims via our designated airlines—Air Peace, Max Air, and FlyNas. With the dates now clear, we are increasing our daily flights to ensure no Nigerian pilgrim is left behind.”
The Sultanate’s Call to the Ummah
Reacting to the development, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, congratulated the Muslim Ummah on reaching the sacred month of Dhul-Hijjah.
In a statement signed by the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs to the Sultanate Council, Prof. Sambo Junaidu, the Sultan urged Nigerian Muslims to utilize the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah—described in Islamic tradition as the best days of the year—in intense prayers for the peace, economic recovery, and security of the nation.
“The crescent has been sighted in the Holy Land, and our calendar here aligns smoothly,” the statement read. “His Eminence implores the Muslim community to fast on the Day of Arafat (May 26) and to maintain the highest level of piety, charity, and peaceful coexistence during the upcoming Sallah festivities.”
