Jammu Kashmir, Kerala to celebrate Eid on Sunday; rest of India on Monday

Amid the coronavirus lockdown, Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated in the country on May 25 except Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala, clerics said on Saturday. Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid Ahmed Shah Bukhari said as the moon could not be sighted on Saturday, Muslims will celebrate Eid on Monday. However, the festival heralding the end of the fasting month of Ramzan will be celebrated across Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala on Sunday.

"Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated in Jammu and Kashmir tomorrow (Sunday) as the moon has been sighted," Grand Mufti of Jammu and Kashmir Nasir-ul-Islam said in Srinagar. He asked people in red zones to pray at home and, those in green zones to offer namaz at some designated places and not mosques. "But, the people should wear masks, maintain social distance and pray in small numbers - around 10 to 20 persons," he added.

In Kerala, clerics had Friday said that Eid will be celebrated on Sunday. Bukhari also appealed to people to offer Eid namaz at their homes. A meeting of Ruyat-e-Hilal Committee, Imarat-e-Sharaiyah-Hind, was held here during the day in Delhi. After the meeting it was announced that the moon was not sighted in Delhi and there was also no report from any part of the country, a statement from Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind said. Maulana Muizuddin, secretary of Ruyat-e-Hilal Committee, declared that the first Shawwal falls on May 25, therefore Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on Monday.

Jaimiat Ulema-e-Hind appealed to people to adhere to social distancing and lockdown guidelines of the governments and stay at home to offer Eid namaz. This will be perhaps the first time that there will no mass namaz at mosques and idgahs across the country as the government has prohibited all kinds of religious gatherings to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Eid marks the end of the fasting month of Ramzan.