On Monday (July 20), the moon of the month of Zilhaj was not seen in various countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia. So on Tuesday (July 21) the Arabic month of Zilkad will be 30 days full. The month of Zilhaj will start from Wednesday.
As such, the holy Hajj will be held on the 9th day of the month of Zilhaj, i.e. July 30, and the holy Eid-ul-Azha will be celebrated on Zilhaj 10, i.e. the 31st of July.
Due to the global pandemic, only ten thousands people, including residents of different countries living in Saudi Arabia alone, will perform Hajj this time. Millions of people perform Hajj every year. Under the changed circumstances, only ten thousand people will perform Hajj this time.
Even after that, the Saudi authorities have no shortage of preparations. Mina Tower, Arafat and Muzdalifah have already been prepared for the pilgrims.
Until the end of the Hajj, entry to the Mokaddasa (special places for observing the rules and regulations of Hajj) has been banned from dawn on Sunday (July 19). Anyone entering these places without an authorized person will be fined 10,000 Saudi riyals. Checkpoints have been set up at the entrances to Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat, and law enforcement officers are patrolling the streets.
Hajj is an obligatory (Farz) act of worship. Hajj is obligatory once in a lifetime for able-bodied men and women.