22 May, 23:58 (IST)

The Shawwal crescent has not been sighted in Europe. Albania, Turkey, Slovenia Bosnia and Herzegovina will celebrate the festival on Sunday. UK and France will take the final call based on the sighting of moon tomorrow in Morocco. If the moon is not seen in Morocco tomorrow, most Muslims in the two nations observe Eid Al-Fitr on Monday, May 25.Moon Not Sighted in Turkey

UK Awaiting Morocco's Decision

22 May, 21:36 (IST)

The Shawwal crescent was not sighted in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and rest of Middle East. Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina have also announced Sunday, May 24, as the day of Eid al-Fitr based on astronomical data. France and UK Muslims are expected to adhere to Morocco's decision on Saturday.

22 May, 20:52 (IST)

The announcement in Saudi Arabia on the sighting of Shawwal moon is expected in the next few minutes. The final set of preparations are underway. The decision to be taken by Saudi Arabia will influence the moon sighting bodies in all parts of Europe as well. If the moon remains unseen in the Middle East, it is unlikely to be spotted in the West as well.

22 May, 19:56 (IST)

The moon sighting committee of Bosnia and Herzegovina is on the lookout for hilal crescent to mark the start of Shawwal. If the moon is sighted, then Eid al-Fitr would be celebrated tomorrow. Stay tuned here for the updates from all parts of Europe.

London/Istanbul, May 21: Moon sighting committees in all European nations with significant Muslim populations will convene after the evening prayers today to ascertain whether the new moon was sighted. Personnel of such committees, along with local Muslims, will attempt to sight the moon from late afternoon till dusk. Stay tuned here for the live news updates on Eid 2020 moon sighting in UK, Turkey, Germany, France, Spain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and other countries of Europe. Eid Moon Sighting 2020 in Saudi Arabia Live News Updates: Eid Al-Fitr Tomorrow in KSA? Lookout For Crescent Begins, Supreme Court to Make Official Announcement.

As per the Islamic theology, Eid al-Fitr is to be observed on the first date of Shawwal, the month which succeeds Ramadan ul Kareem. Since the Islamic calendar follows the lunar cycle, a month is either 29 or 30 days long. Today was the 29th of Ramadan in all parts of Europe. If the moon is sighted this evening, then the month of Ramadan would end and Eid al-Fitr would be observed tomorrow, May 23.

If the moon remains unseen, then the month of Ramadan would complete its entire cycle of 30 days and the first of Shawwal would fall on the day after tomorrow. Eid al-Fitr would then be celebrated on Sunday, May 24.

While some sects of Muslims would attempt to sight the moon locally to determine the end of Ramadan, a number of school of thoughts among Muslims in the West adhere to the decision taken by Saudi Arabia, the epicentre of Islamic world.

In simpler words, if the moon is not seen by the naked eye or via the telescope by Muslim diaspora in the West, some of the sects would still celebrate Eid tomorrow if it is sighted in Saudi Arabia or the nearest Islamic nation.

For instance, Muslims in the UK often go with the decision taken by Morocco. Since the new moon is not usually visible on its very onset in the country, they decide to align their Islamic dates with the decision taken by Morocco's Islamic council. Some Muslims in the United Kingdom, however, align their dates in accordance to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.