Srinagar, Mar 19 : Eid-ul-Fitr will be observed on Saturday across Jammu and Kashmir after the Shawwal crescent was not sighted on Thursday evening, Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam announced.
The declaration came after consultations with the official moon-sighting committee following Maghrib prayers, ending uncertainty among people across the Valley who had been awaiting confirmation.
Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam said that no reliable or authenticated reports of crescent sighting were received from any part of Jammu and Kashmir. Based on this, it was decided that the fasting month of Ramzan will complete 30 days, and Eid will fall on Saturday.
The decision was taken after reviewing inputs gathered from different districts, where local committees and volunteers had been monitoring the skies for any sign of the new moon.Authorities said the reports received were either inconclusive or lacked verification, prompting the committee to defer Eid celebrations by a day.
The moon-sighting panel, which includes prominent religious figures such as Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, met to assess the situation and reached a unanimous conclusion in line with established religious guidelines.
The announcement brought clarity for residents, traders, and markets, which typically witness heightened activity ahead of Eid. With one additional day of fasting, preparations for the festival are expected to intensify on Friday.
Eid-ul-Fitr marks the end of the holy month of Ramzan, during which Muslims observe dawn-to-dusk fasting. The festival is celebrated with congregational prayers, charity, and family gatherings.(KNS).
