:salam2:
EID Al Fitr is expected to start in Kingdom of Bahrain on Friday, but other Islamic countries may declare it from today up to Saturday, according a leading astronomer. This is because each country bases the announcement of the new Islamic month on different criteria such as moon sightings or scientific calculations. Bahrain and other GCC countries follow the Unified Hijri Calendar and, therefore, Eid is expected to be on Friday.
The calendar was put together by 58 Islamic countries in November 1998 at a conference in Jeddah. The conference agreed that a new Islamic month would be announced if certain conditions were met: the birth of the moon at Mecca, the moon to set after the sun in Mecca and for the new moon to be confirmed by a witness.
“The moon will be born on Wednesday at 1.30pm Bahrain local time or Universal Time 10.30am, so the first condition is met,” "The new lunar month will begin on Thursday according to any astronomical book, but for us to call it the Islamic month of Shawal, the born crescent must set after sunset and must be seen after sunset. "On Wednesday, this won’t be met because the crescent will set before sunset by 14 minutes at 5.37pm and sunset is at 5.51pm. “In Mecca, the moon will set at 6.20pm, while the sun will set at 6.29pm, so the moon will set before sunset. No crescent will be seen after sunset in Mecca, or in GCC or Arab countries,”. The only place the moon will be seen after sunset was in Latin America where it will sit for 30 minutes.
Some some scholars considered such sightings in their calculations and would, therefore, declare Eid to begin tomorrow. In contrast, other countries such as Pakistan, Iran and Iraq, which require the moon to be sighted by a large audience, might declare Eid on Saturday because not everyone will be able to see the 28-hour-old moon when it sets after sunset tomorrow. “There are about 12 criteria used by different countries”. "That is why it would be appreciated if people would stick to the Unified Islamic Calendar and we can all announce Eid the same day.
“Sharia and astronomers put recommendations and we want countries to stick with this, rather than keep going to endless meetings about this.” All conditions stipulated by the Unified Hijri Calendar would be met tomorrow. However, according to Sharia practice, testimonies will be received by the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs from today. “Tomorrow, the sun will set at 5.49pm and the crescent will set at 6.16pm and stay for 28 minutes and, therefore, Eid will be on Friday”.
Source: http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=286437
we’ll remember in our prayers 
