Eid celebrated in three Bangladesh villages after moon-sighting in Afghanistan

Some residents of three villages in Chandpur and Patuakhali have celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr even a day before Saudi Arabia is to start the celebrations after reports of Shawwal moon being sighted in Afghanistan, Niger and Mali.

Some people in three villages in Bangladesh's Chandpur and Patuakhali celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr on Sunday, May 1, 2022 as the moon was sighted in Afghanistan, Mali and Niger the day before.

The followers of Sadra Darbar Sharif in 40 villages of Chandpur always observe most religious festivals such as Ramadan, Eid, Shab-e-Barat, Shab-e-Meraj and Shab-e-Qadr in keeping with dates of such practices in Saudi Arabia.

On Saturday, Saudi Arabia and other Middle-Eastern countries announced they would observe Eid on Monday as the crescent moon for the Islamic month of Shawwal was not sighted there.

Afghanistan, Niger and Mali, however, said they would observe the occasion on Sunday after they received reports of moon-sighting.

In Bangladesh, Sadra and Shamespur villages in Chandgpur’s Hajiganj and Badarpur in Patuakhali Sadar Upazila also celebrated Eid on Sunday.

An Eid congregation, led by Mufti Allama Zakaria Chowdhury Al Madani, was held at Sadra Darbar Sharif Madrasa ground in the morning. Zakaria is one of the Pirs or Muslim clerics of Sadra Darbar Sharif.

Another cleric, Mufti Baki Billah Mishkat Chowdhury, said they observe Eid and other occasions, such as the start of Ramadan, after the moon is sighted anywhere in the world in line with the teachings of the Hanafi, Maliki and Hanbali schools of Islam.

The Hanafi school is one of the four major schools of Sunni Islamic legal reasoning and repositories of positive law. Although Hanafi school acknowledges the Quran and the Hadith as primary sources of law, it is noted for its extensive reliance on systematic reasoning in the absence of precedent.

The Maliki school of jurisprudence relies on the Quran and Hadiths as primary sources. Unlike other Islamic schools, Maliki also considers the consensus of the people of Madinah to be a valid source of Islamic law.

The Hanbali school derives sharia primarily from the Quran, the Hadiths, and the views of Sahabahs, or companions of Prophet Muhammad.

Baki Billah said Eid congregations were also held at branches of the Darbar Sharif in Dhaka’s Sadarghat and Ashkona and Patuakhali’s Badarpur.

Many followers of the Sadra Darbar Sharif could not be informed about the matter, he said, adding they will celebrate Eid on Monday in keeping with the celebrations in Saudi Arabia.

Md Arif Chowdhury, another cleric at the Darbar Sharif, however, said he and his followers did not celebrate Eid on Sunday because it appeared unacceptable to them. They will celebrate the occasion on Monday.

In Patuakhali’s Badarpur, Maulana Md Shafiqul Islam Abdul Goni led the Eid prayers at Badarpur Darbar Sharif. Devotees hugged each other after the congregation. They include followers of Badarpur Darbar Sharif, and the clerics of Chattogram’s Satkania and Elahabad.

The National Moon Sighting Committee on Sunday evening announced the Shawwal moon was not sighted. Thus, Eid in Bangladesh will be celebrated on Tuesday.