Muslims around the world will be looking to the skies tonight, in search of the crescent moon that will signal the end Ramadan and the beginning of Eid al-Fitr.
The end of the holy month and the arrival of Eid will be marked with celebrations centred around a large feast.
Islam uses a lunar calendar, which means like Ramadan and other Muslim observances, the date of Eid is calculated by the sighting of a new crescent moon.
This cannot be predicted with complete accuracy – at least not more than a day or two in advance – as some lunar cycles last 29 days and some last 30. This means there is always uncertainty around when Eid will fall.
Here’s what we know about this year’s moon sighting for Eid al-Fitr.
How is the date of Eid al-Fitr decided?
Ramadan lasts between 29 and 30 days, until the sighting of the next crescent moon marks the end of Ramadan and the arrival of Shawwal, the 10th month of the Islamic calendar, which begins with Eid al-Fitr.
There is some debate as to whether the moon sighting should refer to you physically witnessing the moon in your region, which could be hampered by factors such as weather conditions, or whether to defer to sightings in Saudi Arabia – home to two of the holiest sites in Islam.
“Some Muslims strictly follow calculations, while others strictly follow moon sightings, and some follow a combination of both,” the Massachusetts Institute of Technology explains on its Division of Student Life website. “What Muslims choose to follow can depend on their religious convictions, where they have lived in the world, and what their families practice.”
Saudi Arabia announces Ramadan and Eid based on testimonies from the public, with the event then officially declared by the government, and many Muslims around the world choose to follow this.
Iran, meanwhile, goes off an announcement from its own government, while Iraq follows the announcement of influential cleric Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.
When will the Eid al-Fitr moon sighting be in 2023?
Ramadan 2023 began on the evening of Wednesday 22 March in the UK, as per the moon sighting tradition that sets its start date.
Initial moon sighting predictions suggested that Eid al-Fitr would likely be celebrated on Friday 21 April this year, with Saudi Arabia expected to sight the new crescent moon on Thursday night. The Kingdom has announced that public holidays will officially begin on Friday.
However, Saudi Arabia’s International Astronomy Centre has said the moon sighting is now set to come on Friday, which will push Eid to Saturday 22 April, with Ramadan ending at sundown on Friday with a total of 30 days of fasting.
The centre said in a tweet: “We note that the International Astronomy Centre is not an advertising agency, but rather a scientific centre that provides astronomical information. The original article contained many details showing the conditions of sighting the crescent in various countries of the world, and based on it, the beginning of the month can be determined by the concerned authorities. Note that the criteria adopted for the beginning of the month in the Islamic world are multiple, and the sighting of the crescent may depend on non-local places.”
The Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia has called on Muslims to look out for the crescent moon from Thursday. “The Supreme Court expressed hope that those who are capable of sighting the crescent moon will join committees formed for that purpose in different regions,” it said.
In the UK, the moon sighting is also expected to come on Friday.
Sundown in Mecca in Saudi Arabia will be at around 6.42pm local time on Friday, which is 4.42pm in the UK, so Eid is likely to be declared around this time.
In the UK, sunset will be at around 8.10pm, depending on where you are in the country. It will be 8.07pm in London.
What is Eid al-Fitr?
Eid al-Fitr is one of two Eid festivals in the Islamic calendar – the other being Eid al-Adha in the summer – and gives worshippers the opportunity to gather and commemorate the completion of a month without eating or drinking during daylight hours.
Eid al-Fitr’s name comes from an Arabic term that translates as the “feast of breaking the fast” and although not a standard public holiday in the UK (although, like last year, it can fall on a bank holiday), it is for many Muslim countries.
The celebrations begin with prayers at dawn, which usually take place at a mosque. Eid has its own special prayer, which is designed to be performed in a congregation.
It is traditional for Muslims to gather together in a park to celebrate, with large-scale events and festival food (particularly sweet treats), prayer and stalls.
After Eid, some Muslims decide to fast for the six days that follow. This stems from the Islamic belief that a good deed in Islam is rewarded 10 times, thus fasting for 30 days during Ramadan and six days during Shawwal creates a year’s worth of goodwill.
The second Eid festival in the Islamic calendar, Eid al-Adha, literally translates as “feast of the sacrifice,” and it is considered the holier of the two Eids.
That honours the story of the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim – known in the Old Testament as Abraham – to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God’s command.
When greeting observers during both Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha celebrations, it is traditional to wish them “Eid Mubarak”.
The Arabic word “mubarak” translates as “blessed,” while “Eid” means feast, festival or celebration, so “Eid Mubarak” can literally mean “blessed celebration” or “blessed feast”.
However, it is widely interpreted as simply wishing somebody a “Happy Eid”.
While you can specify “Eid al-Fitr Mubarak” or “Eid al-Adha Mubarak” to differentiate between the two festivals, “Eid Mubarak” alone is plenty.