Thesweeping majority of Muslims world-wide will celebrate `Eid Al-Fitr,which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, on Thursday,November 3. In Australia, like most years, there is onceagaina difference of opinion as to the calculation method ofdeterminging the first day of Shawal and henceEidAl-Fitr.Mosques that are following the calculation method will becelebrating Eid on Thursday, while those that follow actualmoonsighting will most likely be celebrating Eid on Friday.
Egypt’sMufti Ali Gomaa announced Tuesday, November 1, that Wednesday will bethe last day of the dawn-to-dusk fasting month, and that `Eid Al-Fitrwill fall on Thursday.
InRiyadh, the Saudi Judiciary Council announced that the new moon ofShawwal has not be sighted which means Ramadan will end Wednesday.
Following suit, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, Palestine, Yemen, Algeria, Sudan and Tunisia announced that the Muslim feast will fall on Thursday.
In Beirut, Dar al-Iftaa [the Sunni fatwa authority) said the new moon has not been sighted and Ramadan will end Wednesday.
Ayatollah Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah, the Shiite religious authority in Lebanon, had announced earlier that `Eid Al-Fitr will fall Thursday.
The Association of Muslim Scholars, the highest Sunni religious authority in Iraq, and the Sunni religious endowment authority announced Tuesday that Wednesday will be the last day of the holy fasting month.
`Eid in Europe
Turkey said that Wednesday will be the last day of Ramadan and `Eid Al-Fitr will begin on Thursday.
TheMuslim minority in France will celebrate the Muslim feast on Thursday,according to the French Council for the Muslim Religion (CFCM).
TheMuslim Council of Britain, the leading representative body of theminority, said the Muslim feast will fall on Thursday in the Europeancountry.
TheShura Mosque in Vienna, one of the main reference authorities for theMuslim minority in Austria, announced that Wednesday will be the lastday of Ramadan.
In Slovakia, the Islamic Awqafs (endowment) society announced that `Eid Al-Fitr will begin on Thursday.
TheGerman Muslim Committee for Moon Sighting announced Tuesday that thenew moon of Shawwal has not be sighted and Ramadan will end Wednesday.
InBelgium, the Muslim minority representative body said Muslims in theEuropean country will celebrate`Eid Al-Fitr on Thursday.
A member of the Council of Muftis in Russia said the Muslim feast will fall on Thursday.
In Albania, the Islamic Sheikdom announced that Wednesday will be the last day of the dawn-to-dusk fasting month.
TheFederation of Social Organizations (ARRAID), the Muslim umbrella bodyin Ukraine, said the new moon has not been sighted and Ramadan will endWednesday.
Also, the leader of the Muslim minority in Tatarstan announced that `Eid Al-Fitr will be celebrated on Thursday.
Indonesians United
For the first time in years, Indonesian Muslims will celebrate `Eid Al-Fitr on the same day.
The government of the world’s most populous Muslim country announced that the Muslim feast will fall on Thursday.
Thetwo biggest Muslim organizations, Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiya,which usually stand different in deciding the moon sighting, madesimilar announcements.
Muhammadiyah usually marks Ramadan and `Eid Al-Fitr one day before NU.
Still to Sight
Whilesome countries are still to sight the new moon, Libya was the onlycountry to announce the end of the dawn-to-dusk fasting month,celebrating `Eid on Wednesday.
Pakistan, Malaysia, Oman, Morocco, Somalia, South Africa and Shiites in Iraq said they will sight the Shawwal moon on Wednesday.
Moonsighting is supposed to determine Arab lunar months. It has always beena controversial issue among Muslim countries, and even scholars seem atodds over the issue.
Whileone group of scholars believes Muslims in other regions and countriesare to follow this sighting as long as these countries share one partof the night, another states that Muslims everywhere should abide bythe lunar calendar of Saudi Arabia.
Athird, however, disputes both views, arguing that Islam is againstdivision and disunity, since Muslims, for instance, are not allowed tohold two congregational prayers in one mosque at the same time.
Thisgroup believes that the authority in charge of ascertaining thesighting of the moon in a given country (such as Egypt’s Dar al-Iftaa)announces the sighting of the new moon, then Muslims in the countryshould all abide by this.