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Arab countries split over end of Ramzan, start of Eid ul-Fitr
Cairo, Nov 24: Arab countries are divided over when the upcoming holy feasting holiday of Eid ul-Fitr - which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramzan - will begin.
Cairo, Nov 24: Arab countries are divided over when the upcoming holy feasting holiday of Eid ul-Fitr - which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramzan - will begin.
Iraq's Sunni clerics and Libyan officials said Ramzan ended yesterday and Eid ul-Fitr will fall today. But Egypt, Jordan, Yemen and Sudan announced yesterday that the three-day
holiday will start tomorrow.
Ramzan can last either 29 or 30 days, depending on when the first moon of the next lunar month is sighted.
Clerics in Egypt, Jordan, Yemen and Sudan said they did not sight the moon yesterday, which was the 29th day of Ramzan. They therefore declared that the fasting month would end today. In Iraq, the country's leading Sunni clerics said several sightings of the new moon were made yesterday and, therefore, declared an end to Ramzan and that Eid ul-Fitr would begin today. Libya announced the same.
The supreme council for the Islamic revolution in Iraq, the country's leading Shiite Muslim political organisation, issued a statement urging Iraqi Shiites, who began fasting one day later than Sunnis, to search for the moon today - the 29th day of Ramzan for Iraqi Shiites. Clerics in Saudi Arabia, which started Ramzan one day later than most other Arab states, had not sighted the new moon yesterday, the 28th day of Ramadan there. The Gulf state - will declare today whether Ramzan ends either that day or tomorrow.
Syria and Lebanon also expected to decide today when Ramzan ends and the Eid ul-Fitr holiday starts.
Bureau Report
Ramzan can last either 29 or 30 days, depending on when the first moon of the next lunar month is sighted.
Clerics in Egypt, Jordan, Yemen and Sudan said they did not sight the moon yesterday, which was the 29th day of Ramzan. They therefore declared that the fasting month would end today. In Iraq, the country's leading Sunni clerics said several sightings of the new moon were made yesterday and, therefore, declared an end to Ramzan and that Eid ul-Fitr would begin today. Libya announced the same.
The supreme council for the Islamic revolution in Iraq, the country's leading Shiite Muslim political organisation, issued a statement urging Iraqi Shiites, who began fasting one day later than Sunnis, to search for the moon today - the 29th day of Ramzan for Iraqi Shiites. Clerics in Saudi Arabia, which started Ramzan one day later than most other Arab states, had not sighted the new moon yesterday, the 28th day of Ramadan there. The Gulf state - will declare today whether Ramzan ends either that day or tomorrow.
Syria and Lebanon also expected to decide today when Ramzan ends and the Eid ul-Fitr holiday starts.
Bureau Report