Sighting of the moon will signal the end of fast, says Chief Kadhi

Depending on when the new crescent moon is sighted, thousands of Kenyan Muslims will wrap up their month-long fast by celebrating Idd-ul-Fitr either Sunday night or Monday.

Chief Kadhi Sheikh Ahmed Hussein Muhdhar urged Muslims to rely on the physical sighting of the moon to mark the end of their fast as per Islamic laws to signal the start of Idd celebrations.

 “Relying on arithmetic or astronomic calculations to mark the day is 90 per cent accurate and can extend by a day, but the moon sighting is 100 per cent accurate and it is what the law says,” he said in an interview in his office.

The government has announced that Tuesday July 29 will be a public holiday to mark Idd celebrations.

On Friday, the faithful observed the last Friday prayers of this year’s holy month of Ramadhan.

Speaking at an iftar event to break the day’s fast organised by Muslim for Human Rights organisation and also attended by judge-elect Stephen Riechi, Sheikh Muhdhar urged Muslims to remain steadfast during the remaining days of the holy month to be rewarded and blessed.

Sheikh Muhdhar called on Kenyans to coexist peacefully irrespective of their religious affiliation.

“Whether Muslims or Christians, we are all Kenyans and we depend on each other socially and economically. We were created by the same God to serve Him and there is no cause for us to discriminate against each other along tribal, religious or racial lines,” he told the gathering.  

PRAY FOR THE COUNTRY

Sheikh Muhdhar called on Muslims to remember the country’s peace and security in their prayers in the remaining days of the holy month.

“Security and peace are key to the development of this country,” he said.

Sheikh Muhdhar called on Kenyans to regard their religious and tribal differences as a diversity that should unite and make them patriotic. 
“The most important thing is to respect each other,” he said.