ISTANBUL
Some Muslim countries will celebrate Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, on Sunday, while others will mark the festival on Monday.
Religious authorities in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait and Bahrain said the new crescent of Shawwal (10th month of the Islamic calendar) was sighted Saturday and Eid al-Fitr will be observed Sunday.
Authorities in Palestine, Sudan and Yemen made similar announcements. Lebanon’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Abd al-Latif Drian said Sunni Muslims in the country will also celebrate the festival on Sunday.
Türkiye’s Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) announced that Eid al-Fitr will begin Sunday, following astronomical calculations adopted by the country’s religious authorities.
Eid al-Fitr, however, will be celebrated Monday in Oman, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Algeria and Tunisia as the new moon could not be sighted. Iraq’s Sunni and Shia Muslims will also mark the festival on Monday.
Muslims in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh will also welcome the festival on Monday.
Eid al-Fitr, a festival of breaking the fast at the end of the holy month of Ramadan, is the first of the two main festivals in Islam, the other being Eid al-Adha.
