French Muslims Await Confirmation of Eid al-Fitr Date as Ramadan Nears End

If we stick to the unified Muslim calendar based on calculations, the month of fasting lasts 29 days with an end set for Monday, June 3. Consequently, the Eid al-Fitr feast corresponding to the first day of Shawwal is scheduled for Tuesday, June 4, 2019. Turkey and the Muslim Theological Council of France (CTMF) who had announced this date agree perfectly on this.

However, the CTMF notes that "The conjunction (new moon) will take place on June 3 at 10:02 GMT (12:02 Paris time). On the same day, the crescent moon will be visible only in the northern and southern Pacific. In several Pacific islands, it will be visible to the naked eye or with the help of a simple observation means (as in the case of the Hawaiian Islands and French Polynesia)," it explains in a press release reported by Saphirnews.

"According to the principle of non-locality, Tuesday, June 4 will therefore be the first day of Shawwal (Eid al-Fitr), further explains the theological body. However, the French Council of the Muslim Faith could set the date of Eid al-Fitr on Wednesday, June 5, taking into account, the same source specifies, "the announcements that will be made by the Muslim countries, in particular Saudi Arabia, based on visual observation to determine the dates of the beginning and end of the month of Ramadan".