Kenyans will have a public holiday on Friday, June 6, 2025, to mark Eid ul-Adha, a significant Islamic festival celebrated by Muslims. The announcement was made by the Chief Kadhi of Kenya Abdulhalim Hussein, following confirmation of the Dhul Hajj 1446H crescent sighting by the Saudi Arabia Supreme Court.
The Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Interior and National Administration in Kenya is Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen will still need to declare the day as a public holiday. This is because the holiday in Part II of the Holidays Act which means that the minister needs to declare it a holiday through a gazette notice.
The @InteriorKE Cabinet Secretary @KindikiKithure has declared Monday, the 17th June, 2024, a public holiday to mark Eid-Al-Adha. pic.twitter.com/yLNoEQztQI
— Ministry of Interior | Kenya (@InteriorKE) June 14, 2024
The Chief Kadhi’s notice confirmed that the Supreme Court, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, sighted the Dhul Hajj 1446H Crescent today, Tuesday, May 27, 2025. Consequently, tomorrow, Wednesday, May 28, 2025, will mark the first day of Dhul Hajj 1446H.
“Accordingly, tomorrow, Wednesday, 28 May 2025, is the first day of DHUL HAJJ 1446 H. ARAFAH will be on Thursday, 5 June, and Eid ul-Adha will be on Friday, 6 June 2025,” The notice said.
Muslims globally had been awaiting the moon sighting, which signals the beginning of Dhul Hijjah, a sacred month culminating in Eid ul-Adha on its 10th day.
Eid ul-Adha, also known as the Festival of Sacrifice, is one of two major Eid festivals in the Islamic calendar, observed more than two months after Eid Ul Fitr. The Arabic word Adha means sacrifice stemming from the word duha, signifying light or illumination.
The holiday commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s (Abraham) profound act of devotion and willingness to sacrifice his only son in submission to Allah’s will. Tradition holds that before Ibrahim could carry out the sacrifice, God intervened, providing him with a lamb to offer instead. This pivotal event is why Eid ul-Adha is celebrated as the Festival of Sacrifice.
During Eid ul-Adha, Muslims begin the day with prayers at the Mosque. A central practice of the holiday involves offering a lamb as a sacrifice (Qurbani), which is then shared with family members and distributed to those less fortunate, emphasizing community and charity.
The ninth day of Dhul Hijjah, the day before Eid ul-Adha, is known as Arafah Day, one of the holiest days in Islam. Eid ul-Adha also marks the conclusion of the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, undertaken by millions of Muslims.