South African Muslims Await New Moon Sighting for Eid-ul-Fitr Celebration

As the holy month of Ramadan nears its end, Muslims in South Africa are gearing up to observe the new moon sighting on the evening of 9 April 2024. This sighting will mark the beginning of Shawwal 1445 and the commencement of the festive occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr.

The Crescent Observer’s Society, famously known as the ‘Maankykers,’ will assemble at Three Anchor Bay tonight to spot the hilaal (crescent moon) in line with tradition. President of the Crescent Observers Society of South Africa, Imam Yusuf Panday, mentioned on VOC’s Ramadan AM show that the announcement will be made post Maghrib prayers once the moon sighting is confirmed or not.

Imam Yusuf Panday elaborated, “Tonight, insha Allah (God willing), we will be present at Three Anchor Bay and various other locations across the country. The moon is just 23 hours old, and the observation window is merely 23 minutes.”

Following the confirmation of the moon sighting, Muslims across the nation will receive the news shortly after 19:00 tonight whether the crescent has been sighted. Panday added, “The crescent moon is not visible in South Africa at the moment, but we have to wait until after Maghrib to announce if the moon has been seen or not.”

He further stated, “Presently, the crescent is not even visible in cities like Johannesburg or Durban, so insha Allah (God willing), we will announce the outcome tonight. Otherwise, we will observe another day of fasting, insha Allah (God willing).”

Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia, no new moon sighting was reported on the evening of 8 April 2024 after Maghrib prayers. As a result, Muslims in Saudi Arabia and nearby regions will fast for an additional day, completing a full 30 days of Ramadan. This update was confirmed by VOC News.