By Staff

With Eid coinciding with the weekend, the UAE was lifted up in festive spirits on Thursday.

Shopping malls were teeming with enthusiastic buyers while parks and play areas were abuzz with families and kids ignoring the hot weather.

The roads were rather empty in the morning, but traffic picked up towards noon as residents began making the most of an extended weekend.

Photo by Erik Arazas

Most Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan and Palestine also marked Eid on Thursday.

Oman announced that Shawwal moon has not been sighted and Eid Al Fitr will be observed on Friday.

Eid in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh is also celebrated on Friday.

Photo by Erik Arazas

Meanwhile, Eid Al Fitr moon was also been sighted in Japan Thursday is the first day of Shaawal.

EARLIER STORY:

Muslim scholars in Saudi Arabia appeared split on Tuesday on whether the end-of-Ramadan moon should be sighted on Tuesday, which marks 28 days of the fasting month.

Quoting Pakistan Meteorological Department, daily Express News reported on Tuesday that the chances of sighting the moon on Thursday are “extremely high in Sindh and Balochistan.”

Photo by Erik Arazas

It said the moon would be clearly sighted in interior areas of Sindh including Hyderabad and Karachi. Chances of sighting the moon in Punjab on August 8 were 50 per cent.

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