When Is Eid Al-Fitr Celebrated in Different Muslim Countries?
Scholars in Afghanistan, Oman, Jordan and Morocco said they sighted the crescent moon of the month of Shawwal on Saturday evening, adding that, therefore, Eid falls on Sunday.
Saudi Arabia, though, announced that Eid will begin on Monday in the country.
“Monday is the first day of the blessed Eid al-Fitr for this year,” with Sunday the last day of Ramadan, the official Saudi Press Agency said Saturday, citing a royal court statement.
Other Persian Gulf states the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, as well as countries like Sudan, Libya, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, and Turkey have also made the same announcement.
A number of Muslim countries such as Tunisia, Somalia, and Mauritania have made no announcement on the issue.
In Iran, Eid al-Fitr is expected to fall on Monday if the crescent moon of the month of Shawwal is sighted on Sunday evening. Otherwise Eid will be celebrated on Tuesday.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection and community.
At the end of Ramadan, when the month of Shawwal beings, Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr.
Some religious scholars rely on astronomical calculations to determine the beginning of lunar months while most of them believe visual sighting of the moon should be used in this case.
