RIYADH: Sunday is the first day of Eid ul Fitr as the crescent of Shawwal has been sighted in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, Arab media reported.
“Sunday, June 25, is the first day of Eid Al-Fitr in Saudi Arabia” the Supreme Court announced, in a statement.
Shawwal’s crescent moon was sighted on Saturday evening, which means Eid will start on Sunday.
The Supreme Court earlier called on Muslims in the kingdom to sight the crescent moon on Saturday evening.
Astronomer Khalid Al-Zaaq, a member of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences confirmed in his Twitter account that “Eid begins Sunday astronomically.”
He added that “the astronomical calculations based on followed criteria suggest that Sunday is first day of Eid Al-Fitr.”
Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, and other Arab countries announced on Saturday that Sunday will be the first day of Eid al-Fitr 1438.
Oman, however, has not sighted the moon, and thus declared Monday June 26 as the first day of Eid al-Fitr.
Confirmed Eid on June 25 in Following Countries
- Australia
- Bahrain
- Canada
- Iraq (Sunnis)
- Indonesia
- Jordan
- Kuwait
- Palestine
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Sudan
- Lebanon
- Malaysia
- UAE
- UK
- United States
- Yemen
Bangladesh, Pakistan, India will be sighting the moon on Sunday. These countries started Ramadan on May 28 and so Sunday will be the 29th of Ramadan for them.
Eid al-Fitr, which means “festival of breaking the fast”, marks the end of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan.
Turkey and Muslim communities in North America, Europe and Australia had previously announced they would celebrate Eid al-Fitr from Sunday June 25 based on astronomical calculations.
Eid al-Fitr is is an official holiday in all Muslim-majority countries.
