Saudi Arabia said the hajj will start on June 14 after astronomical observatories spotted the crescent moon Thursday evening, signalling the beginning of the month in which the annual pilgrimage falls.

The Supreme Court determined that Dhu al-Hijjah, the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar, begins today, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said.

The hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and must be undertaken at least once by all Muslims with the means.

It involves a series of rituals completed over at least four days in Makkah and its surroundings in the west of Saudi Arabia.

The high point comes on the second day, when pilgrims gather for prayers on Mount Arafat, where the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) delivered his final sermon.

That will occur on June 15 this year, and the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha will fall on June 16, SPA said.

Saudi Arabia is home to the holiest shrines in Islam at Makkah and Medina.