India will celebrate Eid on Monday (May 25) as the moon could not be sighted on Saturday, Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid Ahmed Shah Bukhari said.
Bukhari also urged people to offer Eid Namaaz at their homes due to the COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide lockdown.
On Friday, which was the last of the ongoing holy month of Ramzan, also called the Jumat-ul-Vida, a group of people offered namaz at the Jama Masjid ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, while adhering to social distancing following relaxations in the fourth phase of the COVID-19 lockdown.
No moon was sighted in Patna and Kolkata as well. Patna’s Imarat Shariah and Kolkata Masjid-e-Nakhoda Markazi Rooyat-e-Hilal committee also declared that Eid will be celebrated on Monday.
On the other hand, the moon was sighted in Kargil and Ladakh on May 22 and hence, locals celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr in the region.
This time, Muslims would be offering prayers at the homes this time. “We are positive are we can win against this pandemic together,” a Ladakh native told news agency ANI.
Eid marks the end of the fasting month of Ramzan.
Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated on the first day of Shawwal, after the end of 29 or 30 days of Ramadan (also spelt as Ramzan). Since the Islamic calendar follows the moon, the months depend on its sighting.
Fasting in Arab countries begins one day before in India, except in the coastal regions of Kerala and Karnataka where the moon can be sighted one day before the rest of the country.
While Ramadan began on April 24 in Arab countries, Muslims in most parts of India have been observing the fast since April 25.
Source: dnaindia.com