Srinagar, Mar 19: No confirmed sighting of the Shawwal crescent moon was reported from any part of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday evening, amid widespread cloud cover and inclement weather conditions across the region.
Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam said that dense clouds over most parts of the Valley significantly reduced the chances of visibility during the narrow post-sunset window.
“There has been no confirmed report of moon sighting from any area so far,” he said, adding that observers have been asked to continue monitoring the skies. He advised people to wait until 8:30 PM, after which a final announcement would be made.
The sighting of the crescent moon marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan and determines the celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr.
Meanwhile, reports from Malaysia and Bangladesh also confirmed that the Shawwal crescent was not sighted there, indicating that Eid-ul-Fitr is likely to be observed on Saturday.
Scholars noted that such situations are not uncommon, especially when weather conditions interfere with moon sighting.
