With the sighting of the new moon in Saudi Arabia and neighbouring countries, the first day of Eid will be celebrated on Sunday, March 30.
Other countries follow their own moon sightings, and those that began fasting on March 2 will announce tomorrow night whether Eid will fall on Monday, March 31.
Eid al-Fitr, the “festival of breaking the fast”, is celebrated at the end of the fasting month of Ramadan by Muslims worldwide.
There are about 1.9 billion Muslims worldwide, approximately 25 percent of the world’s population.
Indonesia has the world’s highest Muslim population, with some 240 million Muslims living in the country. Pakistan is second with about 225 million Muslims, followed by India (211 million), Bangladesh (155 million), and Nigeria (111 million).
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Traditionally, Eid is celebrated for three days as an official holiday in Muslim-majority countries. However, the number of holiday days varies by country.
Muslims begin Eid celebrations by attending a prayer service shortly after dawn, followed by a short sermon.
The day is spent visiting relatives and neighbours, accepting sweets and extending Eid greetings as they move around from house to house.
The most popular greeting is “Eid mubarak” (Blessed Eid) or “Eid sa’id” (Happy Eid). Eid greetings also vary depending on the country and language.
The video and graphics below show Eid greetings in 13 different languages.
