Hyderabad: With the astronomical new moon slated for Saturday evening (4.27 pm IST), the crescent for Eid-ul-Fitr can be visible to the naked eye only on Sunday (March 30) in Hyderabad and other parts of the country. Eid will then most likely be on March 31.
According to the moon charts for Shawwal 1446 AH (Hijri calendar), the new moon will not be visible to the naked eye or even through optical aids on Saturday anywhere in the world, except in a few parts of north and central Americas. Shawwal is the 10th month of the Islamic calendar, and the sighting of the Shawwal crescent marks the end of the fasting month of Ramzan, culminating in the celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr or the festival of almsgiving.
As it may not possible to sight the Eid crescent on Saturday even through optical aids, there is a likelihood of Muslims all over the world celebrating Eid on March 31. If this happens, it will be the first universal Eid after several decades.
Saudi Arabia follows its own predetermined calendar called the Ummul Qura calendar, and the Muslim clergy there prefer to sight the moon using optical aids. This results almost every year in Saudi Arabia celebrating Eid one day earlier, while Muslims in the Indian sub-continent and other parts of Asia marking it the next day. Several countries in the Gulf, Africa, and Europe follow Saudi Arabia.
However, Islamic scholars in the Indian sub-continent insist on the sighting of the moon through the naked eye, which happens only a day or two after the astronomical new moon.
This year, all astronomical calculations indicate the likelihood of a global Eid on March 31, including in Saudi Arabia.
The International Astronomical Centre too has predicted that the crescent is unlikely to be sighted on Saturday in Saudi Arabia, which, in other words, means that the Arab world will celebrate the festival along with the Indian sub-continent and the rest of the world on March 31.
According to moonsighting.com, an online platform that provides information on Islamic lunar months based on astronomical calculations and moon visibility curves, the crescent can be seen on March 30 with the naked eye in most parts of the world except Australia and New Zealand. On March 31, it will be visible all over the world.
While the official moonsighting committees in Hyderabad and elsewhere are busy looking for the new moon, Muslims are busy making last-minute shopping for Eid.
On Friday, Jumatul Vida (last Friday of Ramzan) prayers were offered all over the city. Thousands attended the prayers at the historic Mecca Masjid in the Old City.