Muslims In Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand And Camboida To Celebrate Aidilfitri On Saturday

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- Muslims in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia will celebrate Aidilfitri on Saturday (March 21).

In SINGAPORE, Mufti Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir said based on the imkanur rukyah criteria agreed upon by MABIMS (Ministers of Religious of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore), the crescent moon of Syawal was too low above Singapore's horizon at sunset on Thursday and could not be sighted.

“This means that tomorrow (Friday) marks the completion of the month of Ramadan at 30 days for us in Singapore, and the beginning of the month of Syawal for the year 1447H falls on the day after tomorrow, Saturday, March 21, 2026,” he said in a video clip uploaded onto the Islamic Religious Council (MUIS) website on Thursday.

In JAKARTA, Indonesia’s Religious Affairs Minister Nasruddin Umar said the date of 1 Syawal was determined through an ‘isbat’ (confirmation) meeting on Thursday, after the hilal (new moon) was not observed nationwide based on both astronomical calculations (hisab) and physical sighting (rukyah).

Based on hisab data, he said the hilal did not meet the visibility criteria set by MABIMS, a regional standard adopted by Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, which requires specific thresholds in moon altitude and angular separation to confirm visibility.

In BANGKOK, Thailand’s Sheikhul Islam Arun Boonchom announced via a Facebook Live broadcast that Muslims in the kingdom will celebrate Aidilfitri on Saturday after the moon was not sighted following sunset on Thursday.

Islamic councils in 40 provinces conducted moon sightings on Thursday.

Thailand is home to about 10 million Muslims, most of whom reside in the southern provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat.

Meanwhile, Cambodia will also join its neighbours in celebrating Eid al-Fitr on Saturday.

Grand Mufti of Cambodia and Chairman of the Highest Council for Islamic Religious Affairs Cambodia Kamaruddin Yusof made the announcement on Thursday.

-- BERNAMA