Iraq to celebrate Eid al-Fitr on two different days
Iraq to celebrate Eid al-Fitr on two different days
Iraqi Shias, Sunnis and Kurds have set two different dates for kicking off the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr.
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The first day of Eid will be marked on Monday and Tuesday by Iraqis [Getty]
Iraqis are set to celebrate Eid al-Fitr on two different days after authorities in the country differed on the end date of Ramadan.
The Kurdistan region of Iraq and the Diwan of Sunni Endowments announced Monday as the first day of Eid al-Fitr, while Shia authorities have set the celebration for Tuesday.
The office of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the highest Shia authority in Iraq, was quoted by the Iraqi state News Agency (INA) as saying: “The crescent of Shawal is expected to be clearly seen on Monday evening, thus Tuesday will be the first day of Eid.”
Meanwhile, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Minister of Endowment and Religious Affairs, Pishtiwan Sadiq, announced late on Saturday that Sunday will be the last day of Ramadan, and Monday will be the first day of Eid al-Fitr. Most Muslims in the Iraqi Kurdistan region are Sunnis.
The Diwan of Sunni Endowments also announced on Saturday that Monday will be the first day of the Eid, Iraqi state News Agency (INA) has reported .
Unlike the Gregorian calendar which is based upon the earth's movements around the sun, the Islamic calendar is lunar which means it is based on the phases of the moon.
Every year the, Shia Muslims in Iraq celebrate Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha one day after Sunni Muslims observe it.
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