The first day of Eid al-Fitr will be Friday, June 15, in most Islamic countries after the moon of the month of Shawwal has been sighted.

Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Turkey, and Malaysia were among the first countries to announce Friday as the first day of Eid.

Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya also announced they would celebrate Eid on Friday, in addition to the United States and most of the European countries.

The moon was not sighted in India or in Pakistan, which means that Eid will be celebrated on Saturday, June 16.

New Zealand and Australia will also ring in the Eid celebrations on Saturday.

Visibility of the crescent moon on June 14 using the Yallop criterion [UK Hydrographic Office]

Local greetings

Eid Mubarak in Arabic means “blessed celebration” and is a common greeting for Eid al-Fitr. Other greetings include:

• Ciid wanaagsan – as used in Somalia.
• Mutlu Bayramlar – as commonly used in Turkey.
• Selamat Idul Fitri – used in Indonesia.
• Selamat Hari Raya – is used in Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore.
• Barka da Sallah – as used in some parts of Nigeria.

What is Eid al-Fitr?

Eid al-Fitr means “festival of breaking the fast” and marks the end of Ramadan. Eid is an official holiday in all Muslim-majority countries, but the number of days varies by country.

Muslims across the world begin Eid day celebrations by partaking in the yearly prayer service that takes place shortly after dawn.

This is preceded by the giving of alms to the poor, or Zakat, which is one of the five pillars of Islam.

It is common for the capitals of Muslim majority countries to decorate their cities with festive lights and hold carnivals to commemorate the end of the holy month, with children dressed in new clothes, offered gifts and money to celebrate the joyous occasion.