Sallah 2026: Saudi Arabia, Sultan of Sokoto confirm Eid al-Kabir dates

SUMMARY

• The Day of Arafat is set for Tuesday, May 26, 2026, with Eid al-Kabir (Sallah) celebrations starting on Wednesday, May 27, 2026.

• Nigeria and Saudi Arabia are perfectly synchronised on the moon sighting, eliminating any date discrepancies for the global Muslim community.

• The announcement locks in the timeline for the highly rewarding Arafat fast, Hajj pilgrimage movements, ram purchases, and upcoming public holiday plans in Nigeria.

The countdown to the 2026 Eid-el-Kabir (Sallah) celebrations has officially begun for Nigerian Muslims, following a joint confirmation from authorities in Saudi Arabia and the Sultan of Sokoto for the Islamic year 1447 AH.

After the official sighting of the Dhul Hijjah crescent moon on Sunday night, the Saudi Arabian Supreme Court announced that Arafat Day will fall on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, with Eid al-Adha (Sallah) following on Wednesday, May 27, 2026.

In perfect alignment, His Eminence Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), also declared Monday, May 18, 2026, as the first day of Dhul Hijjah.

This means there will be no date discrepancies or moon-sighting confusion this year. Nigerian Muslims will observe the sacred season in unison with the global Islamic community.

With the dates locked in, millions of Muslims across Nigeria now have total clarity for both their spiritual plans and holiday preparations:

• The First 10 Blessed Days: With Monday, May 18, marking the start of Dhul Hijjah, Muslims are already in the most spiritually significant ten days of the year. Scholars encourage increased devotion, charity, and good deeds during this window.

• The Arafat Fast: Muslims who are not performing the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia can now prepare to observe the highly rewarding Sunnah fast of Arafat on Tuesday, May 26.

• Sallah Preparations: Since Sallah falls on a Wednesday, families have a clear timeline to finalise buying their sacrificial rams, plan holiday travels, and prepare for Eid prayers.

• Hajj Logistics: For the tens of thousands of Nigerian pilgrims already in the Holy Kingdom, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) can now activate the final phase of moving pilgrims into the tent city of Mina and onward to the plains of Arafat.

In a statement signed by the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs of the Sokoto Sultanate Council, Professor Sambo Wali Junaidu, the Sultan urged the Muslim Ummah to maximise the sacred month for intense prayers.

"The Sultanate Council urges Muslims in Nigeria and beyond to use this sacred month for prayers, sacrifice, and acts of charity for peace, unity, and progress in the country," the statement read.

With the mid-week dates officially confirmed, the Federal Government of Nigeria is expected to announce the statutory public holidays in the coming days, which will likely see Wednesday, May 27, and Thursday, May 28, 2026, declared as work-free days.