Eid moon in Saudi Arabia: Crescent sighting body to meet today

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s moon sighting committee will meet on Thursday (today) — which will correspond to Ramadan 29 — to sight the Shawwal moon.

The Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia's Crescent Department called on all Muslims across the country to see the Shawwal moon, Arab News reported.

The court said that anyone who sights the moon with their eyes or through binoculars should report the sighting to the nearest court and register their testimony.

If the moon of Shawwal — the month after Ramadan is spotted tonight — Eid ul Fitr will fall on Friday in the Gulf country.

If there is no sighting of the Shawwal moon on Thursday evening, Ramadan will last for 30 days and Eid will fall on Saturday.

Meanwhile, astronomers have predicted that it is impossible to sight the Shawwal moon tonight. Astronomers belonging to 13 countries have issued a joint statement according to which Ramadan will last 30 days and Eid will be celebrated on Saturday (April 22).

They said that the moon cannot be seen even with a modern telescope, adding the new moon was born during today’s solar eclipse. However, due to the short time of the moon, it is unlikely that the crescent will be seen today.

Meanwhile, in Pakistan, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will also meet today for the sighting of the Eid ul Fitr crescent moon.

The meeting is set to be held at the religious affairs ministry in Islamabad and will be presided over by Ruet-e-Halal Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, the statement said.