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Moon Sighted, Muslims Celebrate `Eid Al-Fitr Friday

Muslim News Staff
20 April, 2023

Remembering the many blessings of Allah (swt), Muslims will celebrate `Eid Al-Fitr, which crowns the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, on Friday, April 21.

Religious authorities in Saudi Arabia have announced that the new moon of Shawwal, the 10th month of Islamic calendar, was sighted on Thursday, April 20.

“The crescent moon has been sighted in Saudi Arabia. #EidAlFitr will be celebrated on Friday 21st April 2023,” Haramain wrote on Twitter.

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`In Egypt, Dar Al-Iftaa or fatwa house said the moon was sighted on Thursday and that `Eid would be celebrated on Friday. The UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar also announced that the first day of Eid will fall on Friday.

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On the other hand, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, and Thailand have officially confirmed Saturday, April 22, 2023, as the first day of `Eid Al-Fitr after they were unable to sight the crescent of Shawwal.

“The Australian Fatwa Council is pleased to announce to the Australian Muslim community the following: Friday, 21st of April 2023, will be the last day of the Month of Ramadan 1444AH,” the council said in a statement.

In India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, Muslims will await for moonsighting on Friday, April 21, since they have started Ramadan fasting on March 24.

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Astronomical Calculations

Muslims in North America will also celebrate the feast on Friday, according to a statement by the Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) and Islamic Society of North America (ISNA).

The Muslim community in Canada will also celebrate `Eid Al-Fitr on Friday April 21, according to astronomical calculations.

Eid Al-Fitr is one the two main Islamic religious festivals along with `Eid Al-Adha.

Moonsighting has always been a controversial issue among Muslim countries, and even scholars seem to be at odds over the issue at times.

While one group of scholars proclaims that Muslims in a particular region are to follow the same moon-sighting as long as people in that region share one part of the night, another group maintains that Muslims everywhere should abide by the lunar calendar of Saudi Arabia.

There is also a third opinion which states that once an authority in charge of ascertaining the sighting of the moon in a given country makes a statement, then Muslims in the country should all abide by this.