Saudi Arabia announced on Wednesday that the first day of Eid-ul-Fitr will be on March 20, after the Shawwal crescent moon was not sighted. This means this year the Ramadan months will be of 30 days in the Kingdom.
In India, Wednesday, 18 March marked the 28th day of Ramadan. The moon sighting will be organised in India on 19 March, which is the 29th day of Ramadan here. If the moon is sighted on Thursday, Eid in India will be on Friday. Otherwise, Eid will be on Saturday, 21 March, in India.
Eid-ul-Fitr begins on the 1st day of Shawwal, the tenth Islamic month after Ramadan. So far, the only means to confirm that Shawwal and other lunar months have begun is by seeing the new crescent moon.
The moon is usually sighted the night before.
1- Why physical sighting?
Traditionally, Muslims follow the practice of the Prophet Muhammad, who instructed to start fasting when you see the moon and break fast when its sighted again at the end of month.
So, if the moon is sighted, Ramadan ends and Eid is the next day. If not, Ramadan completes 30 days and Eid follows a day later.
2-Why different dates?
Moon visibility depends on Geography, weather conditions and time zones
That’s why Saudi Arabia, India, and others may celebrate Eid on different days. Usually, Saudi Arabia celebrates Eid and the first day of Ramadan a day before India does. There are exceptions, though.
Saudi assumes significance because the kingdom houses the holiest Masjids of Islam in Mecca and Medina
3-Sighting vs Calculation
Many Muslim communities now use astronomical calculations to predict the moon’s visibility, but many still prefer actual sighting to stay true to tradition. Even in places like Lucknow, some Shia clerics used astronomical evidence to predict Eid and Ramadan dates well in advance to avoid confusion. But this method has not yet gained popularity.
Usually, India celebrates Eid a day after Saudi Arabia does. But there have been exceptions in the past when both Saudi and India celebrated Eid on the same day
4- The significance of the Islamic Calendar
The moon is usually sighted the night before.
Islam uses the lunar calendar. Each month of the lunar calendar begins with the sighting of a new crescent moon called ‘hilal’ in Arabic. Unlike the Gregorian calendar, the lunar months are either 29 or 30 days, depending on the appearance of the moon.
5- How is Eid date decided?
Muslims celebrate two Eids – One is Eid-ul-Fitr, which marks the end of the month-long fasting in Ramadan. The other one is about two months after Eid al-Fitr and is called Eid-ul-Adha, which commemorates the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim.