Eid-ul-Fitr on May 14; Kerala, J&K celebrating the festival today
Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on Friday across India barring Kerala and Jammu & Kashmir amid COVID-19 restrictions. In Kerala, the festival marking the end of the fasting month of Ramzan will be celebrated today. Clerics in Delhi including Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Ahmed Bukhari, said the moon was not sighted on Wednesday and hence the festival of Eid will be on May 14.
People told to offer prayers at home
Shahi Imam of Fatehpuri Masjid Mufti Mukarram Ahmed announced that the moon was not sighted this evening. "Ruyat-e-Hilal Committee, Imarat-e-Sharaiyah-Hind, after its meeting announced that moon sighting was not reported from Delhi or any other part of India," its secretary Maulana Hakeemuddin Qasmi said. All religious leaders have appealed to Muslims to adhere to COVID-19 protocols and offer their Eid prayers at home.
Kerala celebrating Eid today based on completion of fasting period
Top Muslim clerics in Kerala including Panakkad Sayed Hyderali Shihab Thangal, Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar, and leaders of Samastha Kerala Jamiat-ul-Ulema said Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated in the state on May 13 i.e. today as the 30-day fasting completed on Wednesday.
Kerala CM greeted all Muslims of the state on Eid-ul-Fitr
They had issued a statement on Tuesday saying the moon was not sighted. Greeting Muslims of the state, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Eid-ul-Fitr shares the message of humanity, unity, and compassion. "Let it help us to overcome challenges posed by the ongoing pandemic. Greetings to all of you for observing the month of Ramadan in tune with the COVID-19 restrictions," he tweeted.
Here is what the Kerala CM tweeted
Jammu & Kashmir and Pakistan are also celebrating Eid today
Eid-ul-Fitr will be also be celebrated across Jammu and Kashmir today, as the Shawwal moon has been sighted. The Jammu and Kashmir administration imposed stricter restrictions ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, by reiterating that no religious or social gatherings would be allowed on the day of the festival, according to The Economic Times. Pakistan will also celebrate the Muslim festival today.
The festival is celebrated on the first day of Shawwal
The festival depends on the lunar calendar and is celebrated across the world on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar Hijri. In India, the holy festival is marked on the second day of moon sighting in Saudi Arabia. After Saudi Arabia sights the moon, it confirms the date for Eid in other countries.
