Eid 2018: Will banks be closed on Friday or Saturday?

Muslims observing Ramzaan will end their month-long fast with the sighting of the moon. This will also mark the beginning of Eid ul-Fitr celebrations. While the tentative date for Eid holiday is Saturday i.e June 16, there's also a possibiity that the cresecent moon might be visible a day earlier, which means that the celebrations might began on Friday. 

Which is why many are confused about the day banks will remain closed and addressing the query, DT Franco, General Secretary, All India Bank Officers’ Confederation told FE Online that except for some banks in Southern part of India, most of the banks will be closed on Saturday. 

“Except for some South Indian states, the holiday for Eid 2018 holiday is on Saturday. Once that’s announced, it is not usually not changed according to the visibility of the moon", Franco said. 

The states in which banks will be closed on Friday on account of Eid are Kerala, Mizoram, Odisha, Puducherry Tamil Nadu, and Uttarakhand. 

However, UCO Bank said that since Muslim festivals are subject to the sighting of the moon, the holiday mightchange accordingly. 

“Muslim festivals which are dependent on the sighting of the moon will be declared as Holidays by the Competent Authority for the date on which the festival would be actually observed in lieu of the date originally notified as Holiday for this festival,” the bank said.

After a month of fasting and sacrifice, Muslims will celebrate Eid ul-Fitr after sighting of the crescent moon which will officially end the month of Ramzan. In Ramzan, the 9th month of Islamic calendar, Muslims observe fast and abstain from food and water from dawn to dusk. They are also expected to abstain from worldly desires and offer special prayers.

12 months of Islamic calendar carry either 29 or 30 days. Ramzan also has either 29 or 30 days and Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated on the first day of Shawwāl, the 10th month of Islamic calendar. However, the number of days in the month is only established after sighting of the moon. People from across the world try to see the moon after sunset (when they break the fast) on 29th Ramzan. Some are stuck to radio, TV news and internet for any information on the sighting of the moon.

On Thursday, the sun in Delhi-NCR will set at 7:22 pm and that is when devotees will break their fast. After that, all eyes will be set on the sky to spot the moon. In Delhi-NCR, moon sighting can be difficult as the sky has been engulfed with thick haze. The crescent moon appears only for a few minutes on the first day of the month and if people miss the chance to spot it, they have to rely on sources from other cities.

While local mosques make announcements after confirmation from various sources in other cities, you can also tune in here to check if we will celebrate the Eid on Friday or on Saturday.