The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee has called for a crucial meeting on June 26 in Quetta to observe the crescent moon of Muharram ul Haram, marking the beginning of the Islamic New Year. The meeting will be chaired by Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad, the Chairman of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee. This annual meeting is essential for the official declaration of the start of the Islamic lunar month, and is an important event for Muslims around the world, as it sets the date for the beginning of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar.
In addition to the central meeting, Zonal Ruet-e-Hilal Committees will also convene at their respective headquarters across the country on the same day to observe the crescent moon. These regional committees play a significant role in reporting the moon sighting to the central body, ensuring the accuracy of the announcement across the nation.
Earlier, the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) had predicted that the Muharram ul Haram crescent moon would likely be visible on the evening of June 26.
Suparco also provided technical details, stating that the moon would be born on June 25 at 3:32 PM, and its age would be around 28:15 hours at sunset on June 26. The agency mentioned that the expected duration between sunset and moonset at coastal areas would be approximately 75 minutes, providing a favorable window for moon sighting.
This moon sighting will mark the beginning of the Islamic year 1447, with the first day of Muharram and the new Hijri year falling on June 27. Furthermore, Suparco’s estimates indicate that the 10th of Muharram, also known as Youm-e-Ashur, is expected to fall on July 6 in Pakistan.
The process of moon sighting is not only important for the start of Muharram, but it also determines the dates for other significant Islamic events, including Ashura, the 10th day of Muharram, which is observed by Muslims around the world, especially for commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (RA) at the Battle of Karbala.
