Srinagar, Mar 19: The crescent moon marking the beginning of Shawwal was not sighted anywhere in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday evening, prompting religious authorities to announce that Eid-ul-Fitr would be celebrated on Saturday.
Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam, who heads the central moon sighting process, said that no credible testimony of moon sighting was received from any part of J&K despite coordinated efforts by designated committees.
“We did not receive any confirmed witness regarding the sighting of the Shawwal crescent. Given the circumstances, Friday will be observed as the 30th day of Ramadan, and Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on Saturday,” he said.
Earlier, under the guidance of the Grand Mufti, a full-fledged Ruet-e-Hilal mechanism comprising scholars had been established across districts, with designated members and contact points to verify sightings.
He had also urged people to rely only on official announcements and authenticated reports regarding the crescent.
With Thursday’s development, Friday will mark the final fast of Ramadan, completing the 30-day holy month, while Saturday will be observed as the first day of Shawwal and Eid-ul-Fitr.
A similar pattern was observed in other parts of the country, where religious authorities associated with Jama Masjid in New Delhi, led by Naib Shahi Imam Syed Shaban Bukhari, confirmed that Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on Saturday after completion of 30 days of Ramadan.
In Kargil-Ladakh, the Hilal Committee of Jamiat-ul-Ulama Isna Asharia Kargil-Ladakh also reported no sighting of the crescent due to cloudy weather conditions and absence of verified reports from neighbouring regions, announcing Eid on Saturday.
In Pakistan, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee also announced non-sighting of the moon, declaring Saturday as Eid, while similar announcements were made in Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, markets across Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir have witnessed heightened activity over the past several days, with shoppers thronging major commercial hubs for Eid purchases.
From garments and footwear to bakery items and essentials, markets remained abuzz as people made last-minute preparations after a month of fasting.
Authorities have also stepped up arrangements for the festival.
Officials from the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board have convened multiple meetings to take stock of preparations for Eid congregational prayers at various Eidgahs and mosques across Kashmir.
Necessary arrangements, including sanitation, water supply, and crowd management measures, have been put in place to facilitate smooth conduct of Eid prayers.
With one more day of fasting remaining, the festive spirit continues to build across the Valley as people prepare to conclude Ramadan and celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr on Saturday with religious devotion and traditional fervour.
