Eid Al-Fitr prayers will be held in more than 400 mosques throughout the capital.
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance has instructed imams to commence Eid prayers 10 minutes after sunrise.
The first day of Eid will be determined upon the sighting of the moon. The ministry will notify the public when they should sight the crescent to confirm the first day of Eid.
The Department of Mosques, which functions under the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance, directed imams and muezzins across the Kingdom’s mosques to keep the places of worship tidy and ensure adequate supplies of power and water during Eid to cater to the increased number of Muslims who are expected to visit the mosques for prayers.
Private establishments contracted for the maintenance of mosques have also been requested to be on duty on this day to guarantee continuous water and power supply in all places of worship. In addition, improvised partitions for women have been placed in mosques to allow women to perform Eid prayers.
Based on directives from the department of mosques, some mosques were busy replacing their old carpets with new ones and others are being cleaned to give them a fresh face lift before the advent of the holidays.
Shoppers flocked to the major commercial centers and hypermarkets on Monday for their Eid purchases. In the run-up to the festival, many shopping malls were offering incentives, including “Scratch and Save” cards entitling customers to a range of discounts.
Shopping malls were flooded with families on a last-minute shopping spree and large numbers of Saudi families were seen at gift and chocolate shops to purchase presents and treats for their families and friends, who would be visiting their houses during Eid.
Travel agents reported a heavy rush of clients, as many expatriates plan to return back home for the holiday season. Crowding was reported at King Khaled International Airport Monday with flights to Indian cities, Colombo, Pakistan and Dhaka fully booked.
The capital has also witnessed some of its by-lanes transformed into football pitches after Taraweeh prayers. As Ramadan coincides this year with the summer holidays, many Saudi children have taken to these “soccer fields,” while groups of Asian children have been seen in open areas near the Malaz football stadium playing cricket.
During the last days of Ramadan many families were seen on either side of Thumamah Road enjoying the outdoors and taking the occasion to allow their children to play games of their choice on the open sandy grounds. These families bring prepared meals from their homes and utensils for barbecuing. Many also rent desert bikes for their children at SR25 for a ride. Ponies too are available for rides.
Preparations under way for Eid Al-Fitr
