Ramadan is at the end. According to media reports, the crescent moon will appear on April 8, 2024, in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iran, and other countries in the Middle East and Western countries, including Britain – confirming the Eid ul Fitr celebration on Tuesday, April 9.
Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court has called on all Muslims throughout the Kingdom to sight the new crescent moon that marks the end of Ramadan and the onset of the month of Shawwal on Monday, April 8.
This will signal the end of the holy fasting month and the start of Eid Al-Fitr.
In its announcement, the court urged any person who sees the Shawwal crescent with the naked eye or through telescopes to report it to the nearest court and record their statement. People could also contact their nearest center to help get to the court.
Ramadan started in Saudi Arabia and in most Arab countries on March 11. If the moon is not seen on Monday, then Tuesday will be Ramadan 30 and Eid Al-Fitr will begin on Wednesday.
Eid Al-Fitr is the holiday celebrated during the first day of Shawwal, the 10th month of the Islamic calendar.
Eid holiday in Qatar
The Crescent Sighting Committee at the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs has called on Muslims living in Qatar to sight the crescent of Shawwal on Monday evening, Ramadan 29, 1445 AH, corresponding to April 8, 2023. The Qatar Central Bank (QCB) has announced that on the occasion of Eid ul-Fitr, it has been decided that the holiday for all financial institutions in the State of Qatar will start on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, and will end on Thursday, April 11, 2024.
But Al Jazeera, quoting astronomical calculation says, the month of Ramadan is expected to last 30 days this year, making the first day of Eid in Saudi Arabia and many neighboring countries likely to be on Wednesday, April 10. Such forecast by Arab “astronomical experts” were proven wrong last year.
After sunset prayers on Monday, April 8, the 29th day of Ramadan, moon sighters will face west with a clear view of the horizon for a first glimpse of the crescent moon. If the new moon is visible, then the next day will be Eid, if not, Muslims will then fast one more day to complete a 30-day month. Other countries follow independent sightings. When the sighting has been verified, Eid is declared on television, radio stations and at mosques.
