Photo: Over 50,000 people attended Eid Prayer on Monday 31 March 2025 at Imam Ali Bin Abi Taleb Mosque in Sydney, Australia.
Eid al-Fitr 2025, the joyous festival marking the end of fasting month Ramadan, brought together millions of Muslims across the globe in celebration, but not all on the same day due to the traditional reliance on moon sightings to determine the start of the month of Shawwal in the Islamic calendar, the date of Eid varied from country to country.
Eid celebration in Gaza on Sunday 30 March 2025 amidst the rubble of a destroyed mosque bombed by the Israelis.
In the Middle East, the gulf countries led by Saudi Arabia including Gaza and Lebanon celebrated Eid on Sunday 30 March , after sighting of the crescent moon was reported on Saturday 29 March. Afghanistan also declared the day of Eid on the same day.
Meanwhile Iran and South Asian nations like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh including Indonesia and Malaysia observed Eid on Monday 31 March, so did many in Africa, Europe and the Americas.
A great majority of Australians celebrated Eid on Monday 31 March except the Turkish diaspora mosques followed Turkey marking Eid a day before on Sunday 30 March while those following the Moonsighting Australia delayed the celebration of Eid till Tuesday 1 April.
Fiji aligned with this timeline and New Zealand, following its own moon sighting procedures, observing Eid again a day later on Tuesday 1 April.
These regional differences underscore the diversity in Islamic practice and the enduring importance of lunar tradition. While the dates varied, the spirit of Eid marked by prayer, charity, and community remained universally cherished.
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