Muslim buys are busy shopping for `Eid Al-Fitr. (Reuters)

CAIRO — Millions of Muslims worldwide will celebrate `Eid Al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, on Tuesday, October 23, while millions others will mark the festival a day earlier.

Egypt's Mufti Ali Gomaa announced late Sunday, October 22, that Monday will be the last day of Ramadan and that Tuesday will be the first day of `Eid.

Algeria said the crescent of the new hijri month of Shawwal was not sighted Sunday and Monday will be the last day of fasting.

In Jordan, chief justice Ahmad Julail announced that Tuesday will be the first day of Shawwal and `Eid.

Official religious authorities in Oman and Syria said that `Eid will be celebrated on Tuesday.

In Asia, Malaysia announced that Tuesday will be the first day of `Eid. The announcement was made by the Keeper of the Rulers Seal after the moon was not sighted in any of the 28 selected locations throughout the country.

Indonesia's moon-sighting committee will meet later Monday to make an official announcement of the start of `Eid Al-Fitr.

Bangladesh's 18-member National Moon Sighting Committee led by State Minister for Religious Affairs Mosharref Hossain Shahjahan sits Monday at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque to confirm the moon sighting.

If the moon is sighted, `Eid will start Tuesday otherwise the festival will be celebrated across the country on Wednesday.

The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) announced on its website that the first day of `Eid Al-Fitr will be on Tuesday.
Muslims in Pakistan will also celebrate `Eid either on Tuesday or Wednesday.
In India, Muslims will sight the new moon on Monday. If the sighting is confirmed `Eid will fall on Tuesday otherwise it will be celebrated on Wednesday.

`Eid Al-Fitr, one of the two most important Islamic celebrations together with `Eid Al-Adha, will start Monday in Gulf countries, the United States and some European countries.

Moon sighting has always been a controversial issue among Muslim countries, and even scholars seem at odds over the issue.

One group says that Muslims everywhere should abide by the lunar calendar of Saudi Arabia.

A second, however, believes that the authority in charge of ascertaining the sighting of the moon in a given country (such as Egypt's Dar al-Iftaa [House of Fatwa]) announces the sighting of the new moon, then Muslims in the country should all abide by this.