KUALA LUMPUR, March 28 -- As Ramadan draws to a close, Muslims in Malaysia and around the world are preparing for Aidilfitri.

However, the exact date is only confirmed close to the event, as the Islamic calendar follows the lunar cycle.

There is a possibility that Aidilfitri may fall on Monday, March 31 - or later on Tuesday, April 1. Several states have already prepared an additional holiday on Monday, should Aidilfitri actually falls a day later.

In Malaysia, the date of Aidilfitri is determined using two methods: hisab (calculations or mathematics) and rukyah (moon sighting).

These methods determine the start of Syawal, the Islamic month that marks Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

What are hisab and rukyah?

Hisab is a scientific method that...