Sri Lanka, May 28 -- Muslims in Sri Lanka will celebrate the Hajj festival (Eid al-Adha) on 7 June, the Colombo Grand Mosque has announced.

The Colombo Grand Mosque and the Moon Sighting Committee have stated that the crescent moon for the month of Dhul Hijjah -the 12th and final month of the Islamic lunar calendar- has been sighted in Sri Lanka today and therefore tomorrow will mark the first day of the new month.

Accordingly, the Hajj festival will be observed on Saturday, 7 June, as it always falls on the 10th day of Dhul Hijjah while, the Arafat Day will be observed on Friday, 6 June.

The festival commemorates the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim's (Abraham) son as an act of respect to the divine.

Eid al-Adha, the second most signific...