Tunisian Mufti apologizes for mistake in announcing Eid

Rasa - Tunisia’s Mufti Sheikh Hamda Saied apologized to the people of the North African country for making a mistake in announcing Eid al-Fitr.

News ID: 2994

Date: 22 July 2015 - 10:48

RNA - According to Al-Alam news network, the Tunisian Mufti had announced in an official address to the Tunisian nation that Friday, July 17, would mark Eid al-Fitr.

Saied, however, admitted later that he had been wrong as Eid fell on Saturday, not Friday.

“There was a mistake in sighting the moon of the month of Shawwal and that caused (me) to mistakenly announce Friday as Eid,” he said.

“I apologize to the people of Tunisia, especially Muslims… for this mistake,” he added.

Following a month of fasting in Ramadan, Muslims all over the world celebrated Eid al-Fitr, the first day of the lunar month of Shawwal, on the weekend.

The auspicious holiday commonly begins with communal prayers at major mosques or other prayer sites after a predetermined amount of money is set aside as alms.

Muslims mark the rest of the day by wearing new or neat clothes and joining family members, relatives and friends to eat and have a good time together.

Also on Eid al-Fitr, Muslims are encouraged to be especially generous and forget any grudges against friends and relatives.

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