Riyadh/Dubai/Simgapore/Jakarta/Kuala Lumpur: The Royal Court of Saudi Arabia and moon sighting committees in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar have confirmed that Eid al-Fitr will begin on Sunday, June 25, 2017 after the crescent moon was sighted today on Saturday June 24 corresponding to 29th of Ramadan 1438H.
"Upon testimonies of a number of adult witnesses, who confirmed to have seen the new moon of Shawwal after sunset this evening, the Supreme Court of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced, following an extraordinary session to consider whether there are reports on sighting the new moon of Shawal, that tomorrow Sunday is blessed Eid Al-Fitr 1438H", the Royal Court said in a statement, according to SPA.
The statement further said the Supreme Court has informed the Royal Court that the measure was taken as per the tradition and instructions of Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him), who conditioned fasting and breakfasting on seeing the moon by mere eyes.
The moon sighting committees in UAE, Qatar and other Arab nations also declared Sunday June 25, 2017 as the first day of Eid al Fitr.
The announcement official marks Saturday as the last day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other Gulf countries.
Religious authorities in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and neighboring countries have already decalred Sunday June 25, 2017 as the first day of Eid al Fitr..
However, Oman’s Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs has announced that Sunday, June 25, will be the last day of the Holy Month of Ramadan, and Monday, June 26, will be the first day of Shawal or the first day of Eid al-Fitr after failing to sight to crescent moon in Muscat.
Live Update
10:20 pm The moon-sighting committee in UAE had announced that today (Saturday, June 24) will be the last day of Ramadan, and that Sunday (June 25) will be the first day of the month of Shawwal and the first day of Eid Al Fitr.
The UAE moon-sighting committee has also gathered in Abu Dhabi to sight the crescent in the country. An official announcement on the sighting of the crescent from Abu Dhabi is expected shortly.
The announcement by UAE came shortly after Saudi Arabia announced the sighting of the Shawwal moon in the Kingdom.
10:15 pm As Saudi Supreme Court and Moon Sighting Committees in UAE and other Arab states prepare for the important meet to decide on Eid 2017, religious authorities in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore have declared Sunday June 25 as the first day of the festival which marks end of Ramadan.
Muslims in Malaysia will celebrate Aidilfitri tomorrow. This was announced over television tonight by the Keeper of the Rulers Seal, Syed Danial Syed Ahmad, local media reported quoted news agency Bernama
“In keeping with the command of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, following the consent of the Rulers, I hereby declare that the date for Hari Raya Puasa for the states in Malaysia has been set for Sunday, June 25, 2017,” Syed Danial Syed Ahmad said.
08:35 pm As Saudi Supreme Court and Moon Sighting Committees in UAE and other Arab states prepare for the important meet to decide on Eid 2017, religious authorities in Indonesia and Singapore have declared Sunday June 25 as the first day of the festival which marks end of Ramadan.
In a press conference, Indonesian Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin said that all of the six sworn observers reached the same conclusion and the Indonesians would perform the Eid prayers on Sunday June 25, 2017.
Majlis Ugama Islam Singapore has already announced Sunday June 25 as the first day of Eid al Fitr.
There are reports that Eid moon has been sighted in Malaysia, Brunei, Japan and other neighboring countries Saturday. Hence Eid in these countries will also be celebrated on Sunday. however official announcement from these countries are still awaited.
06:45 pm Majlis Ugama Islam Singapore on Saturday announced that Muslims in Singapore will celebrate Eid al Fitr on Sunday June 25, 2017. The announcement is made after reports of moon sighting received from some part of the country.
"According to astronomical calculations, the crescent for the month of Syawal did appear during sunset today for 17 mins.
"As such, I am pleasedto declare that the first day of Syawal for the year 1438 Hijrah falls on Sunday, 25th June 2017", Dr Mohamed Fatris Bakaram Mufti, Republic of Singapore said in a statement released Saturday.
06:10 pm Special arrangments have been made in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, Yemen and other Arab states for the people to sight the crescent - the new moon of the month of Shawwal today which coincides with 29th of Ramadan 1438H.
Eid al Fitr will be celebrated on Sunday June 25 if the new moon is sighted today. A decision in this regard will be announced after the Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia and Moon Sighting Committees in UAE and othe Gulf States receive confirmed moon sighting report.
An announcement in this regard is expected by 08:00 pm (Makkah Time) today evening.
03:50 pm Eid al Fitr will be celebrated on Sunday June 25 or a day later on Monday June 26 - the decision by Saudi Supreme Court and Moon Sighting Committees in UAE and other Arab states is expected by 08:00 pm today evening.
The Saudi Supreme Court, also known as the Royal Court of Saudi Arabia, will hold a meeting after Maghrib prayers today evening to ascertain the moon sighting report if comes from any part of the Kingdom.
Based on the moon sighting reports, if confirmed, Eid al Fitr will be celebrated on Sunday June 25. If moon is not sighted today then Sunday will be 30th day of Ramadan, and Eid will be celebrated on Monday June 26.
Moon Sighting Commitees, also known as Hilal Committees, in UAE and other Arab states will also meet soon after the Maghrib prayers today and accordingly decide the first day of Eid.
10:45 am The Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia has issued appeal to Muslims in the Kingdom and Arab states to sight the Eid 2017 moon today on Saturday, corresponding to 29th of Ramadan 1438H. Simultaneously, the United Arab States (UAE) has set up Moon-sighting committee to take a call when Eid will be celebrated this year.
"Whoever sees the crescent of the month of Shawwal by the naked eyes or binoculars to report to the nearest court and register his testimony, or report to the nearest center to facilitate his reaching to a court", The Supreme Court said in its announcement.
The Supreme Court will meet soon after Maghrib prayers today evening and based on moon sight reports take a call about the exact date of Eid 2017.
In the neighboring UAE, Sultan bin Saeed Al Badi, Minister of Justice, has issued a decision to set up the Moon-sighting committee for the Holy Month of Ramadan to confirm the start of the month of Shawwal, which will mark the end of Ramadan and start of Eid Al Fitr.
The decision called on all Sharia courts across the country to look out for the crescent moon and inform the committee.
"The committee will meet with the intention to sight the crescent moon on Saturday, 29 Ramadan after Maghrib prayer, at the Judicial Department in Abu Dhabi", a statement appeared in the local media said.
The sighting of the crescent will mark the end of the month of Ramadan during which Muslims observed fast. Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam.
The beginning and end of Ramadan, and a month in the Islamic Calendar, has traditionally been based on “hilal” sightings, which is the method mentioned in the Holy Quran and followed by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
As per this tradition, a new month is sighted on 29th of the prevailing month. If the new moon, Crescent, is sighted, the next day is counted as first day of the next month. If not, the next day is counted as 30th day of the prevailing month and the new month begins thereafter.
Varying geographical and weather conditions meant that people in different locations cannot see the appearance of the crescent the same day, making Muslims around the world fast on different days.
But, United States, United Kingdom, Canada and European countries normally rely on moon announcements by Saudi Arabia, Muslims in these countries and hence Muslims here will celebrate Eid al Fitr along with their counterparts in Arab states.
Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and other Gulf states have completed 29 days of Ramadan on Saturday. Along with the Arab states, United States, United Kingdom, Canada and European countries too have finished counting the similar number of Ramadan days.
Ramadan in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and other South Asian countries had begun a day later than the Arab states and hence Muslims in these countries have till Saturday counted 28 days of Ramadan. Therefore they will look for the Eid al Fitr 2017 moon on Sunday July 25, 2017 corresponding to 29th day of Ramadan in these countreis, and Eid here will be celebrated either on July 26 or July 27.
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