A section of Shias in Kashmir has decided to observe Id-ul-Azha, an Islamic festival in honour of the willingness of Prophet Abraham to sacrifice his son, on May 28 instead of May 27, when Sunnis and another section of Shias will observe the festival in Jammu and Kashmir.

The moon sighting grouping, Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, of the All J&K Shia Association (AJKSA) said it carried out “a careful observation and found that the crescent moon of Zul Hijjah was not sighted (on May 18) either by the AJKSA Ruet-e-Hilal Committee or by other moon sighting committees across India”.

“No reliable or authenticated Sharai witness regarding the sighting of the moon was received from any part of the country,” said the association’s spokesperson.

Clerics’ decision

The moon sighting delegation of the association was attended by Molvi Sheikh Zakri, Molvi Syed Mohammed, Syed Gazanfer Rizvi and Molvi Firoz Ali. The association has decided to observe Id on May 28. The crescent of Id-ul-Azha is spotted 10 days ahead of the festival as per the Islamic calendar.

The decision came just a day after another Shia group, Anjuman Sharia Shian J&K, headed by Aga Syed Hassan Mosavi Al Safavi said the crescent was sighted on May 17. The group decided to observe Id on May 27.

Kashmir’s grand priest Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam Farooqi, who heads the moon sighting committee of Sunni Muslims, also announced the sighting of the crescent on May 17. “The testimony regarding the sighting of the moon was received from Kargil and parts of J&K. As a result, the new Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah will commence from Monday, May 18, 2026 and Id-ul-Adha will be observed on May 27,” said Mr. Farooqi.

This year, Id in the region of Kashmir and Kargil will coincide with the festival being celebrated in Pakistan and Afghanistan on May 27. However, India will celebrate the festival on May 28.