Eid-ul-Fitr 2020: Delhi's Jama Masjid, Patna's Imarat Shariah announce Eid on Monday, May 25

PTI photo

New Delhi: Eid will be celebrated in the country on May 25 as the moon could not be sighted on Saturday, Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid Ahmed Shah Bukhari said. Amid the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent lockdown, Bukhari also appealed to people to offer Eid namaz at their homes.

On the occasion of Jumat-ul-Vida, the last Friday of the ongoing holy month of Ramzan, a select group of people offered namaz at Delhi's Jama Masjid ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, while adhering to social distancing following relaxations in the fourth phase of the COVID-19 lockdown. 

Shops in the area around Delhi's Jama Masjid await customers as their frequency falls amid lockdown. 

Since no moon was sighted in Patna and Kolkata too, Patna's Imarat Shariah and Kolkata Masjid-e-Nakhoda Markazi Rooyat-e-Hilal committee declared that Eid will be celebrated on Monday.

In Kargil and Ladakh, the moon was sighted on May 22 and hence, locals celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr in the region. However, unlike any other Eid, Muslims would be offering prayers at the homes this time. "We are positive are we can win against this pandemic together," a Ladakh native told ANI.

This will be perhaps the first time that there will no mass namaz at mosques and idgahs across the country as the government has prohibited all kinds of religious gatherings to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Eid marks the end of the fasting month of Ramzan.