ABU DHABI // Regardless of when the new moon is sighted, the public sector will observe Eid holidays beginning on Saturday, the government news agency WAM reported yesterday. The moon-sighting committee charged with declaring the start of Eid al Fitr will meet after sunset prayers on Saturday, it said. Eid and the month of Shawwal, the 10th month of the Islamic calendar, will begin when the committee determines the new moon is visible to the naked eye. Astronomers predict the new moon will not be visible in the UAE until Sunday. Work in the public sector will resume on the fourth day of Shawwal.
Private sector workers will take a two-day Eid break on the first and second days of Shawwal, said Saqar Ghobash, the Labour Minister. Hasan al Hariri, the head of the Dubai Astronomy Group, said the new moon would be easily visible to the naked eye in South America and the southern portion of Africa on Saturday. In the UAE, an optical aid would be needed, according the Islamic Crescent Observation Project. By Sunday, however, it will be clearly visible.
Meanwhile, the financial debts of 221 prisoners who received early releases by a presidential clemency during Ramadan will be paid by the Zayed Foundation for Charitable and Humanitarian Works. * The National
