A leaked letter confuses Muslims in New Zealand about the end of Ramadan

Muslims in New Zealand will be fasting Wednesday after an official letter was leaked to social media, proclaiming the end of Ramadan, New Zealand newspaper online newspaper Stuff reported Tuesday.

The Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ) which is expected to announce the end of the holy month in New Zealand, said that two draft letters it wrote beforehand to publish once the end of Ramadan is confirmed, were hacked and published to the internet.

The body’s spokesperson Andwa Ghani told the same newspaper, Tuesday, that «no moon sightings had been confirmed in New Zealand or Fiji», adding that Muslims in the two countries must continue «would continue Ramadan with end celebrations starting on Thursday».

FIANZ said that its website might have been hacked at 6.30 pm on Tuesday, which was reported to the police. «The correct information would be distributed by FIANZ and Muslims who may have received the wrong information should not be negatively affected», Ghani told Stuff.

For the record, Muslims in Australia, one of the closest countries to New Zealand, are celebrating Eid al-Fitr on Wednesday, June 5, as announced by the Australian National Imams Council.