Eid al Fitr celebrated on two days in Britain

RELIGIONS NEWS AGENCY (REDNA) – Eid al Fitr which marks the end of Ramadan will be celebrated on two different days in the UK this year.

It takes place after the new crescent moon has been sighted, but poor visibility means it has not been seen in the UK or Morocco, often relied upon for moon sightings, so some mosques are waiting and postponing the end of Ramadan to Saturday.

However, it has been seen in Saudi Arabia, and the majority of mosques which rely on Saudi sightings will go ahead with the festival on Friday, including Cambridge, East London and London Central Mosque.

Bradford and Leeds are waiting til Saturday. The confusion has led to renewed calls for Muslims in Britain to create a national moon sighting body that can determine the correct date for everyone in the country, as is the model in many Muslim countries. The New Crescent Society has explained that local sightings are already taking place around Britain this year and it is working towards a united Islamic calendar in the UK.