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Government declares Friday public holiday to mark Idd

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INTERIOR SECRETARY FRED MATIANG’I. FILE PHOTO | NMG

The government has declared Friday a public holiday to mark Idd-Ul-Fitr, a day Muslims observe the end of fasting that lasts a month.

Kenyan Muslims started observing the holy month of Ramadhan May 15 after the Chief Kadhis’s announcement on May 14.

Ramadhan is the ninth month of the lunar Islamic calendar in which Muslims believe the Holy Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad.

“In exercise of the powers conferred in section 3 of the Public Holiday Act, Friday, June 15, 2018 shall be a public holiday in order to accord all Kenyans and persons who profess the Islamic faith the opportunity to make preparations to mark Idd-Ul Fitr on Saturday, June 16, 2018,” said Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i in a gazette notice issued Tuesday.

Fasting is the fourth pillar of Islam commemorated by abstaining from drinking and eating from dawn to dusk for either 29 or 30 days based on the lunar calendar.

Dates of the start of the month keep moving every year in the lunar calendar, which explains the varying starting and ending of fasting dates.

The dates begin depending on when the moon is seen.