Bahrain Calls on to Sight Shawwal Crescent on Thursday

The Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (SCIA) has called upon people to search for the Shawwal crescent on Thursday, April 20th.

The SCIA urged the public who sight the crescent moon to contact the Bahrain moon-sighting committee, which will convene on Thursday evening to receive testimonies about the crescent of the month. 

If the crescent moon is spotted on that night, it means that Eid Al Fitr will start on Friday, April 21st.

However, if the moon is not spotted that night, then the first day of Eid will fall on Saturday, April 22nd.

Eid Al Fitr is now expected to fall on Saturday in countries that require accurate sighting of the crescent with the naked eye or the correct local vision of the telescope.

This new prediction is one day later than the previous prediction, as the crescent cannot be sighted without a telescope, a professional observer, and exceptional weather conditions. 

However, it is possible to see the crescent using the telescope only and with difficulty from the western parts of Africa and Europe, and it is customary under such circumstances for most of the countries of the Islamic world to announce Eid Al Fitr on the next day.