JEDDAH, 16 December — The Kingdom is today celebrating Eid Al-Fitr marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Many other Muslim countries are also celebrating the annual feast which comes at the end of 30 days of dawn-to-dusk fasting.
On Friday the Supreme Judiciary Council issued a statement saying since the new moon which marks the start of the lunar month had not been sighted that day, Saturday would be the 30th and last day of Ramadan and Sunday the first day of Eid.
At least, two competent Muslim adults must testify to seeing the new moon before the five-member council officially announces the end of the fasting month.
Eid celebrations will begin with Muslims offering special prayers in hundreds of open grounds and mosques soon after sunrise.
The Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah will receive hundreds of thousands of worshipers from all over the world.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd who traveled to Makkah ten days ago to oversee preparations for receiving Muslims coming from all over the world to perform Umrah and pray at the mosque will lead the faithful attending the Eid prayers at Al-Masjid Al-Haram.
On the first day of Eid, King Fahd will receive well-wishers including senior government officials, state guests and members of the general public.
Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, who spent some days in Makkah before returning to Riyadh will also receive well-wishers at his palace.
In Jeddah, preparations have been completed for three days of celebrations to be held at the Corniche. Makkah Governor Prince Abdul Majeed will open the celebrations. Also attending will be Jeddah Governor Prince Mishaal ibn Majed and Prince Faisal ibn Abdul Majeed, who heads the celebrations committee.
The festivities feature a spectacular fireworks show described as the largest ever staged in the region, folk dances and music, sport activities and open competitions.
The festival is a joint effort involving the municipality, the Coast Guard, the traffic department and the business community and will be broadcast live by the Saudi Arabian Television and Arab Radio and Television (ART) station.
The Traffic Department said it has prepared a special program to educate the public on road safety as part of a wider traffic and security campaign in cooperation with the Saudi Society for Arts and Culture.
The two-day program starting on the third day of Eid will feature lectures, theatrical shows and poetry readings and an exhibition of pictures on the devastation caused by car accidents and drug abuse, said Col. Ayed Al-Maliki, head of the information committee at the National Awareness Campaign on Traffic Safety and Security.
The city markets witnessed a huge rush over the past days with shoppers causing traffic jams along all roads leading to the business center. Items most sought after include clothes, footwear, furniture, foodstuffs and confectioneries.
Businesses, with the exception of emergency services, will remain shut for the coming three days although some gave their employees a weeklong vacation.
K.S. Ramkumar adds: Hotels and restaurants all over the Kingdom are also geared up for today’s Eid celebrations. All hotels have been specially decorated to welcome guests for sumptuous breakfast and lunch buffets at their restaurants.
Al-Harithy Hotel said guests would find a variety of breakfast and lunch dishes and delicacies at the hotel’s Vintage restaurant with exciting gifts for them and their children.
Similar arrangements with typical Arabic settings have been made at all hotels, including the Jeddah Marriott, Sunset, Westin Jeddah, Jeddah Trident, Al-Salam Holiday Inn, Jeddah Sheraton and Inter.Continental.
During the holy month, which ended yesterday, hotels and restaurants offered Arabic coffee and dates for fast-breakers. Throughout the month their chefs were engaged in offering special and innovative menus for both iftar and sahour meals.
