During the total solar eclipse tonight, the sun will briefly get completely cloaked by the moon and will be aligned with the Earth in a straight line, leading to darkness during the daytime in several countries, as the moon will block the sun completely and a result of this, the sighting of the Shawwal crescent moon to mark the end of Ramadan 2024 and beginning of Eid-ul-Fitr may be delayed until April 09, 2024. The sun will remain cloaked for a total of four minutes, during which its enigmatic outer layer will be illuminated.
Since the Middle East, USA, UK, Canada etc started fasting on March 11, 2024, the Supreme Court in Saudi Arabia has called on all Muslims throughout the Kingdom to sight the new crescent moon on the evening of Monday, Ramadan 29, 1445 Hijri, corresponding to April 8, 2024, that will mark the end of Ramadan and the onset of the month of Shawwal. If the Shawwal crescent moon is sighted by Muslims in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, United Kingdom and other countries in the Middle East and West on April 8 evening, after breaking the Ramadan fast at maghrib or evening payers, chand raat there will be on Monday, April 8 and the day of Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated the next day i.e. on April 09, 2024 but if the Shawwal crescent is not sighted on Monday evening, chand raat in these countries will be on Tuesday, April 09 while Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, indicating that Muslims may observe a 30-day fast this Ramadan instead of 29 days.
