Based on Ramadan 2024 beginning March 11 (at night, with the first fasting day being March 12), we anticipate Eid al-Fitr 2024 to fall on or near April 9.
Eid al-Fitr is one of the two most celebrated days in Islam’s Hijri calendar — its lunar calendar of 12 months. Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the Hijri calendar’s ninth month, Ramadan, and the first day of its 10th month, Shawwal.
Each month begins with a new crescent. The Hijri month can fluctuate between 29 and 30 days, according to both our actual and calculated ability to see it. So, if the moon is not sighted — or deemed sightable — on either the 29th or the 30th day of the lunar cycle, then the new month commences after the 30th day of the previous lunar month.
There is more to determining this, beginning first with establishing when Ramadan 2024 begins. Although some accept calculation as a method of determining the start of one of Islam’s lunar months, others rely on the prophetic tradition of moon sighting with the bare eye. This leads to some groups of Muslims in the same parts of the world beginning Ramadan on different days from each other. This, in turn, can lead to differences in determining when Eid al-Fitr 2024 might be.
Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr 2024
And if Ramadan does begin March 11, 2024, then that would make the first fasting day March 12. That’s because Ramadan begins at maghrib because the calendar day in Islam begins with sunset. So Muslims would begin their Ramadan 2024 taraweeh prayers after isha salah on the night of March 11, then begin fasting at dawn on March 12.
And if it does begin March 11, 2024, then there are only two possible dates that could be Eid al-Fitr 2024. Put simply: Every month in the Islamic calendar is either 29 or 30 days. Thus, adding 29 days from March 11, 2024, we can determine that Eid al-Fitr 2024 would fall on either April 9 or 10.
