STAFF REPORTER -
MUSCAT, June 4 -
The main committee of Moon Sighting for Shawwal 1440 AH has announced that the sighting of the crescent moon of Shawwal for 1440 AH has been confirmed. Consequently, the first day of Eid al Fitr will be on Wednesday.
The committee convened on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Shaikh Abdullah bin Mohammed al Salmy, Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs, and attended by His Eminence Shaikh Ahmed bin Hamad al Khalili, Grand Mufti of the Sultanate, Sayyid Harib bin Hamad al Busaidy, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, Khalid bin Hilal al Busaidy, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Shaikh Dr Abdullah bin Rashid al Siyabi, Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Court, and Shaikh Ahmed al Khatib, Chairman of the Conciliation and Reconciliation Committee in Salalah.
The three-day celebrations will begin with Eid prayers at fajr, or dawn, and involve prayers performed in a group and specific rituals
and a sermon.
This is the occasion families and friends gather to show gratitude to the Almighty while celebrating the end of Ramadhan, the four-week daytime fast which marks the month when Muslims refrain from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset.
As soon as the fasting broke on Tuesday evening, people flocked to major hypermarkets and malls for last minute shopping.
Shopping centres — posh signature outlets to roadside shops — were flocked by huge number of shoppers, mostly women and children, to pick their desired attires for making the festival more enjoyable.
Citizens have already been on a shopping spree thanks to the announcement of holidays last week. Most of them have gone to their hometowns on time to celebrate Eid with their kith and kin.
Most stores, who the Observer spoke to, said that the volume of sales has been high this year.
“There have been record growth in sales of various apparel, electronic products, luggage and toys, among others as many vacation-bound expatriates took advantage of the wide range of discounts and promotional campaigns of the season,” said a salesman at a leading hypermarket chain. Eid is an occasion for giving gifts, which is why many suppliers take the opportunity to present the latest models of their brands at promotional prices or launch discounted offers for older stocks, he said.
Traffic blockade was seen all along main thoroughfares leading to parking congestions at many areas in Muscat.
Exchange houses also witnessed heavy rush of expatriates sending remittances back home, while others formed long queues in front of ATMs. Shoppers also flocked jewellery shops in last minute scramble pushing up sales. Jewellery store owners said that in the last few days of Ramadhan, sales shot up by more than 10 to 15 per cent.
Meanwhile, the Royal Oman Police advised motorists to exercise cautions while driving during holidays.
In GCC and other countries, Muslims celebrated the Eid al Fitr on Tuesday. In the Afghan capital Kabul, families celebrated with a stroll in a central park, and children played on a carousel.
“We came here to celebrate Eid because this day is for happiness and all the people want to see happiness. The Afghan people hope to have peace in the country,” said Abdul Raziq, a resident of the city. Thousands of Muslims living in Moscow gathered in and outside the city’s grand mosque to pray. Security was high and mounted police patrolled the streets.
The Moscow Cathedral Mosque, which has capacity for 10,000 people, was packed with worshippers, many of whom hail originally from Central Asia. “We came to pray and the place is not important. The only place we need is a place to put a rug, to pray to God, to take part in this holiday — this is the most important,” said Sivush Veriyev.
Thousands of faithful packed stadiums in Addis Ababa and Mogadishu and there were also mass prayers in the Nigerian capital Abuja as well as Juba in South Sudan.
In Bangladesh, thousands of people have been scrambling to Dhaka’s ferry terminals and stations, packing trains heading out of the city to return to their hometowns for Eid.
In Turkey, President Tayyip Erdogan prayed at Istanbul’s huge new Camlica mosque, which he formally inaugurated last month.
(with inputs from agencies)
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
