Saudi Arabia, UAE, and neighboring countries celebrate Eid ul Fitr today

(Web Desk): Muslims around the world are celebrating Eid ul Fitr today (Sunday), with large prayer gatherings held in countries like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and several others.

Eid ul Fitr is celebrated after the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting, and marks the beginning of the Islamic month of Shawwal. The date of Eid is based on the sighting of the crescent moon, according to the Islamic lunar calendar.

In addition to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, countries like Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Turkey, Iran, Sudan, Lebanon, Yemen, and Palestine are celebrating Eid today after seeing the Shawwal moon on Saturday.

In the United States and Canada, Muslims are also celebrating Eid today, though some mosques will wait until the moon is sighted to announce the celebration.

In Pakistan, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will meet this evening to determine whether the moon has been sighted, which will decide if Eid falls on Monday (March 31). The Bohra community in Pakistan is already celebrating Eid, with special prayers held in Karachi and other cities. Afghan refugees living in Pakistan are also celebrating Eid today.

Some countries, including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, and Australia, have announced that Eid will be celebrated on Monday, March 31, after confirming that the crescent moon was not sighted on Saturday. In Bangladesh, the National Moon Sighting Committee confirmed that the moon was not seen, so Sunday is the 30th day of Ramadan. Indonesia also declared Monday as the first day of Eid after failing to observe the Shawwal crescent.

Iraq will celebrate Eid on Monday, though some groups have already held prayers on Sunday. In India, today marks the 28th day of Ramadan, and the moon is expected to be visible on Sunday, so Eid will be celebrated on Monday. Malaysia’s International Astronomy Centre (IAC) confirmed that the moon will be visible to the naked eye on Sunday, setting Eid for March 31. Brunei also confirmed the crescent's visibility on Sunday.

The Australian Fatwa Council announced that Eid will fall on March 31, as the Shawwal moon will appear after sunset on Saturday in both eastern and western parts of the country.