Crescent Moon Not Sighted on Monday, Eid Al Fitr to Be Celebrated on Wednesday in Saudi and Other Countries

Riyadh, 01 Syawal 1437/06 July 2016 (MINA) – The Gulf Arab countries have announced that the Eid al-Fitr festival, which marks the end of holy month of Ramadan, will be celebrated on July 6, Al Jazeera reported.

The official news agencies of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait quoted religious authorities as saying on Monday that the annual feast will begin on Wednesday after failing to sight the moon that marks the start of the three-day festival.

The starting day of Eid varies every year and from country to country depending on geographical location.

Eid al-Fitr means “festival of breaking the fast” and marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. It is an official holiday in all Muslim-majority countries.

Yemen, Indonesia, and the Philippines are also among the countries which announced Wednesday as the first day of Eid.

Around the time of the announcement in Saudi Arabia, suspected suicide bombings struck near the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina and a Shia mosque in Qatif city.
(T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)