The global Muslim community is observing Eid-ul-Fitr on different dates this year, following varying sightings of the Shawwal crescent moon. while some nations began celebrations today, Thursday (March 19), the majority of the Middle East and Africa are set to celebrate on Friday, with parts of Southeast Asia waiting until Saturday.
Thursday Celebrations: Afghanistan, Niger, and Mali
In a swift start to the festivities, Afghanistan, Niger, and Mali officially declared Thursday as the first day of Eid-ul-Fitr. Authorities in these countries confirmed the sighting of the Shawwal moon on Wednesday evening, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan after 29 days.
Friday Celebrations: Middle East and Africa The majority of the Middle East and several African nations failed to sight the moon on Wednesday, leading to the completion of a 30-day Ramadan. These countries will celebrate Eid on Friday, March 20:
Middle East: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Turkey, Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, and Iraq.
Africa: Sudan, Djibouti, Somalia, Uganda, Nigeria, Chad, Gambia, Guinea, Benin, Senegal, and Cameroon.
Others: Australia and the Maldives have also confirmed Friday as the day of Eid.
Notably, Turkey and Australia based their confirmation on advanced astronomical calculations and solar observations.
Saturday for Singapore In a unique announcement, Singapore has declared that Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on Saturday, March 21. Religious authorities stated that the crescent moon would be impossible to sight on Thursday evening, necessitating a 30-day fast starting from Thursday.
Eyes on the Sky: South Asia and Others The South Asian region, including Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, will attempt to sight the Shawwal moon this evening (Thursday). Depending on the sighting, these countries will celebrate Eid on either Friday or Saturday.
A large group of other nations is also following this Thursday-sighting schedule, including:1
Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.
Middle East & North Africa: Iran, Oman, Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and Mauritania.
Source: Gulf News
