When is Eid ul Fitr 2022? When Shawwal moon will be sighted in India?

New Delhi, Apr 28: The ninth month in the Islamic Lunar Calendar is Ramadan and the tenth is Shawwal whose first day is marked as Eid-ul-Fitr 2022 across the world.

While the West culturally follows the Gregorian calendar, the Islamic calendar is lunar which means it is based on the sighting of the crescent moon.

According to reports, Shawwal moon is likely to be sighted on the evening of May 2, following which Eid ul Fitr will fall on Tuesday, May 3, this year.

As per media reports, the astronomers said that the moon is expected to be born between April 30 and May 1 on crossing conjunction point at 1:28am PST.

Meanwhile, the duration for moon sighting after the sunset will be at least 40 minutes and a maximum of 89 minutes and the crescent could be clearly sighted in different parts of the country on the eve of coming Monday if the weather remains clear.

What is a 'Shawwal Moon?'

Muslims call this auspicious crescent Moon the "Shawwal Moon" because it occurs in the tenth month of the Islamic calendar, which is based on the phases of the Moon. Its sighting begins Eid Al-Fitr.

Every year, Eid-ul-Fitr occurs approximately 10-11 days earlier depending on when the crescent moon is sighted since lunar months are shorter than solar months and so it varies from country to country by about a day. As Muslims across India observe the 29th day of the Ramadan fast this Wednesday, rozedaars will be gearing to sight the crescent moon on chaand raat that will mark the onset of the month of Shawaal with Eid as its first day.