Followers of the Muslim faith all over the world celebrated the Eid al-Fitr, signaling the end of the fasting season of Ramadan. The holiday, which literally translates to 'Sugar Feast', is an important event in Islam.
The day of the Eid al-Fitr coincides with the sighting of the crescent moon. Local religious figures declare the Eid, which means that countries might have different dates of observance of the holiday. Typically, the Eid al-Fitr is celebrated on the same day as Saudi Arabia.
Today, almost all Arab countries celebrated the holiday with the witnessing of the new Shawwal moon. The Supreme Court of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia officially announced the end of Ramadan.
"Upon testimonies of a number of adult witnesses who confirmed to have seen the new moon of Shawwal after sunset this evening, the Supreme Court of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced, following an extraordinary session to consider whether there are reports on sighting the new moon of Shawwal, that tomorrow Thursday is blessed Eid Al-Fitr 1434 H.," stated the country's Royal Court in a press release.
Other neighboring nations, including Kuwait, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Palestine, and Egypt, reported seeing the Shawwal moon. The Shawwal moon, shaped as a crescent, has long been a symbol of the Muslim faith.
Pakistan's Meteorological Department said Tuesday that the country's chances of seeing the crescent moon was "extremely high" in specific locations such as Balochistan and Sindh. Oman was not able to report any sighting of the Shawwal moon, thus it will postpone its local Eid celebration until tomorrow. India and Bangladesh will celebrate the Sugar Feast on Friday.
On the other side of the world, Japan also spotted the Shawwal moon. In the Philippines, a special non-working holiday was announced to commemorate the Eid al-Fitr. Indonsia, the country with the most number of Muslims, joined the global celebration today.
U.S. President Barack Obama hoped for a "blessed and joyful celebration" of the Eid al-Fitr. He said that the Ramadan tradition demonstrates compassion and gratitude.
"For millions of Americans, Eid is part of a great tapestry of America's many traditions, and I wish all Muslims a blessed and joyful celebration. Eid Mubarak," Obama said.
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