Update: UAE has confirmed that Eid al-Fitr will be celebrated on Tuesday. The Supreme Court of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced that June 5, 2019, will be the first day of Shawwal 1440H.
As the Muslims around the world celebrate the last few days of Ramadan, the spirit of Eid al-Fitr (Eid ul-Fitr) is already high. The festivities, shopping and preparations are a common sight in most countries with Muslim population. After a month of dedication to the Almighty's order to fast and seek closeness, Muslims will be rewarded on the day of Eid ul-Fitr, which is one of the two festivals celebrated in Islam.
Almost a month ago, Muslims observed Ramadan with the sighting of the crescent. Now, another crescent will mark the beginning of a new month- the month of Shawwal. The first day of Shawwal is celebrated as Eid al-Fitr around the world, but the dates of Eid vary depending on the country's geographical location.
The Islamic calendar follows lunar cycles, which means each year the date of Ramadan or Eid will vary on the Gregorian calendar. Last year, Eid al-Fitr fell in mid-June, but this year's Eid will be celebrated in early-June. Unlike last year, Eid al-Fitr will be celebrated in India a day later than in other countries in the West, including Saudi Arabia.
Eid al-Fitr, which translates to "festival of breaking fast" is a three-day celebration in all Muslim-majority countries. The number of vacation days varies depending on the country, but in India, Eid holiday is observed only on the main day of Eid.
Eid al-Fitr 2019 date will be confirmed with the sighting of the new moon in all countries regardless of their geographical position. In Saudi Arabia, UAE, Dubai, UK, USA, and other western countries will observe Eid al-Fitr on June 4 or June 5 depending on the moon sighting. The Muslim councils of respective countries will try to search for the new moon and if it is sighted then this year Muslims will observe only 29 days of fasting.
In India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and other neighbouring countries, Eid al-Fitr 2019 date will fall the next day. According to International Astronomical Centre (IAC) and timeanddate.com Eid al-Fitr will fall on Wednesday, June 5 and the last day of Ramadan will be Tuesday, June 4. It's worth noting that these predictions are based on astronomical calculations and could vary depending on the sighting of the moon.
Within India, Kerala is one state that is known to celebrate Ramadan and Eid on the same day as Saudi Arabia. This year too, Eid is likely to be celebrated in Kerala on Tuesday, June 4, or on the next day. Stay tuned for updates.
