Muslims will celebrate `Eid Al-Fitr, which crowns the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, on Monday, May 2.
Religious authorities in Saudi Arabia have announced that the new moon of Shawwal, the 10th month of Islamic calendar, was not sighted on Saturday, April 30.
“The crescent has NOT been sighted in Saudi Arabia. `Eid Al-Fitr will be celebrated on Monday 2nd May 2022. In shā Allāh”, the officials said in a two-line message released a short while ago.
The crescent has NOT been sighted in Saudi Arabia. #EidAlFitr will be celebrated on Monday 2nd May 2022. In shā Allāh
May Allāh ﷻ allow us to utilise the remaining moments of this blessed month to engage in that which pleases Him and may He accept our siyām, qiyām & a’māl. Āmīn
— 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 (@HaramainInfo) April 30, 2022
`In Egypt, Dar Al-Iftaa or fatwa house said the moon was not sighted on Saturday and that `Eid would be celebrated on Monday.
Eid Al-Fitr will start Monday, May 2, in UAE after Moon Committee said the moon of Shawwal 1443AH is not spotted today.
Qatar, Iraq, Singapore, Kuwait and Bahrain will also celebrate `Eid on Monday.
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) also said the country will continue to observe Ramadan fast on Sunday and celebrate `Eid Al-Fitr on Monday.
Several other countries are expected to celebrate `Eid Al-Fitr on May 3, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Iran and Ghana.
Some other countries, including Morocco, Oman and Jordan, are expected to sight the crescent moon for `Eid Al-Fitr on Sunday, May 1.
Astronomical Calculations
`The Fatwa Committee in Germany has also announced that `Eid would be celebrated on Monday.
Australia has officially declared that Monday, May 2, will be the first day Eid Al-Fitr and the first day of the month of Shawwal 1443 AH.
Muslims in North America will also celebrate the feast on Monday, according to a statement by the Fiqh Council of North America (FCNA) and Islamic Society of North America (ISNA).
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.