A section of Muslim clerics who celebrated their Eid-ul-Fitr on Thursday accused the Chief Kadhi of misleading Kenyans.
The Muslim clerics insisted the moon was sighted in Mombasa on Wednesday evening.
Chief Kadhi Ahmed Muhdhar on Wednesday said the moon, commonly referred to as the hilal which stands for the crescent moon, had not been sighted in Kenya or Tanzania.
That meant Muslims were supposed to fast on Thursday and end the holy month of Ramadhan on Friday.
Sheikh Abou Hamza, the Imam at Masjid Hudaa in Sparki, led the Swalatul Eid at Tononoka ground on Thursday.
“Many Kenyans have been able to pray today because the moon has been sighted in Kenya and in Mombasa,” Sheikh Hamza said on Thursday.
Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya national treasurer Sheikh Hassan Omar said the moon sighting controversy should be addressed once and for all.
“The moon was sighted but when the information was taken to the Chief Kadhi, he refused to acknowledge. His refusal is not right or just,” Sheikh Omar said.
He said a Muslim conference should be organised so that the matter can be addressed extensively.
“Today is Eid. All Muslims should be celebrating today. But some will celebrate tomorrow. They will still fast because of poor leadership of the Chief Kadhi,” the CIPK official said on Thursday.
On Friday, however, vocal Muslim leader Hamisa Zaja said the Quran allows people to break the fast on the 29th day or the 30th day.
“Hurling insults at one another because of the moon sighting is not right. Allah disapproves of that,” Zaja, who is also the Jamii Kwanza executive director, said.
She said throwing away the benefits of the fast because of the controversy of moon sighting is unhealthy.
“One who has seen the moon on the 29th day is right just as the one who has seen it on the 30th day,” said the Coast Association for Persons with Disability (CAPD) CEO.
Speaking at her home after breaking the fast, she said Ramadhan always ends on a sour note because of differences about the last day of fasting.
“Agree to disagree. We can differ without hurling insults at each other,” she noted.
Zaja said instead of throwing words at each other, Muslims should bring their heads together and address the numerous challenges Kenyans are facing.
“The taxes are high, prices of basic commodities keep shooting and Kenyans have no money in their pockets. These are the challenges we should be discussing and finding solutions to, not differences in moon sighting,” she said.
Her sentiments were echoed by Christian clerics Catholic Archbishop Martin Kivuva and Anglican Church Bishop Alphonso Mwaro Baya who called for unity on such occasions.
Archbishop Kivuva and Bishop Baya said festivals like Eid should serve to unite people and not divide them.
The two joined Muslims in celebrating Eid on both days to show unity.
Abou Qatada, a vocal Muslim cleric, said all Muslims should continue with prayers even after Ramadhan.
“Let us continue being united in prayer and in actions that please Allah,” Qatada said.
