Muslims around the world are celebrating the three-day Eid-ul-Fitr festival on Monday, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.
Eid-ul-Fitr, or the “festival of breaking the fast," begins with the first sighting of the new moon and varies greatly from nation to country.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Morocco, Muscat, Yemen, Sudan, Egypt, Tunisia, Iraq, Syria, Palestine among other countries in the Middle East and Africa are celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr on Monday.
Since the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and European countries rely on the moon announcement by the Saudi Arabia Royal Court, Muslims residents there also mark Eid celebrations with the Gulf states on Monday.
Several countries in Southeast Asia including Indonesia, Malaysia and Maldives are also celebrating Eid on Monday.
However, many countries around the world including Bangladesh are yet to begin their Eid-ul-Fitr celebration as the beginning of any lunar Hijri month varies according to the new moon sighting by religious authorities.
India
India is set to celebrate Eid-al-Fitr on Tuesday after Ramadan fasting was extended for another day due to the lack of a crescent moon on Sunday evening.
“The Shawwal crescent (moon) was not sighted on Sunday evening hence, May 2 will be observed as the last day of Ramzan and Eid al-Fitr will be celebrated on May 3,” Lucknow's Markazi Chand Committee quoted as saying by news agency ANI. “Eid-al-Fitr namaz at Indgah Lucknow will be held on 03 May 2022 at 10 am," the Markazi Chand Committee said in a statement.
The Karnataka sighting committee also stated that the moon was not visible in the state's capital city of Bengaluru, nor in any other districts in the state, due to heavy rain. Tamil Nadu's chief clerics have also announced that Eid-al-Fitr will now be celebrated on Tuesday.
Jammu and Kashmir will celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr on Tuesday, May 3 as the Shawwal moon could not be sighted on Sunday.
While speaking to the media, Kashmir's Grand Mufti, Nasir-ul-Islam, stated that Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, as the Shawwal crescent was not seen anywhere in the Valley on Sunday evening.
Pakistan
Pakistan is gearing up to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr on Tuesday as the Shawwal moon was not sighted anywhere in the country.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the northern districts of Balochistan, however, Eidul Fitr is being celebrated with religious zeal and fervor on Monday, a day before the festival formally kicks off in other areas of Pakistan.
Eid prayers were held in public places, mosques, and Eidgahs throughout KP and certain districts of Balochistan.
Nepal
In Nepal, The government announced a public holiday across the country on the occasion of the Eid-ul-Fitr on Tuesday.
A cabinet meeting made the decision, and informed the Ministry of Home Affairs in a notice on Monday, according to myrepublica, a Nepal-based English daily.
South Africa
South Africa is set to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr on Tuesday as the Shawwal moon was not sighted anywhere in the country.
The United Ulama Council of South Africa (UUCSA) has confirmed that the moon signalling the end of the blessed month of Ramadan has not been sighted in South Africa.