Congress MP Shashi Tharoor participated in the Eid-ul-Fitr prayers alongside worshippers in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, and conveyed his wishes. Tharoor was observed sitting among the worshippers, embracing Muslim clerics, and exchanging greetings with attendees. He also took the opportunity to extend his warm wishes, saying “Eid Mubarak.” Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also shared his greetings, emphasizing the significance of unity and compassion amidst attempts to sow communal discord.
While Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Jammu and Kashmir celebrated Eid on Wednesday, the rest of India will mark the occasion on Thursday, April 11, as the Shawwal crescent moon sighting hadn’t occurred in the country, according to Imam Ahmad Bukhari of Jama Masjid Delhi. The sighting of the crescent moon signifies the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Eid ul-Fitr, a key event in the Islamic calendar. Lucknow’s Markazi Chand Committee confirmed the non-sighting of the Shawwal crescent moon on Tuesday, announcing the celebration of Eid-al-Fitr on April 11.
Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali stated that since the moon wasn’t sighted in Lucknow or anywhere else in the country, Eid-al-Fitr would be observed on April 11. Eid ul-Fitr, occurring on the first day of Shawwal, marks the culmination of Ramadan fasting and the start of a new Islamic year. The festival’s timing is determined by the sighting of the crescent moon, a tradition linked to Prophet Muhammad’s practice of awaiting news of the moon’s sighting to mark the beginning of a new month. Due to the reliance on moon observation, Eid ul-Fitr is celebrated on different days in various regions, often with a one-day discrepancy.