Pakistan to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr on Saturday as Shawwal moon not sighted

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will observe Eid ul-Fitr on Saturday, March 21, following the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee’s (RHC) announcement that no credible sighting of the Shawwal crescent moon was reported from anywhere in the country.

RHC Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad confirmed the decision during a press conference in Islamabad. The committee adheres to strict Shariah-based criteria to verify crescent sighting reports before making formal declarations.

Islamic months last either 29 or 30 days, and their beginning and end are determined by the lunar calendar. Ramadan in Pakistan began on February 19 and will complete 30 days this year, as meteorologists reported that the moon’s age in Islamabad was only 12 hours and 23 minutes, making sighting virtually impossible.

The zonal RHC committee in Peshawar had received six testimonies, but after verification, none were deemed credible for declaring the start of Shawwal. Eid will therefore be celebrated nationwide on Saturday.

Regional confirmations align with Pakistan’s decision: India will also observe Eid on Saturday, following similar moon-sighting reports from Lucknow and Hyderabad, while Delhi’s Jama Masjid has yet to announce. Indonesia will likewise mark Eid on Saturday. In Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, the Shawwal moon was not sighted on Wednesday, though Eid was observed in Afghanistan today.

This year’s Ramadan celebrations have been overshadowed by the ongoing Middle East conflict, triggered by US and Israeli strikes on Iran, which prompted retaliatory attacks by Iran on Gulf targets including airports, residential areas, energy installations, and military bases.

Observing Ramadan fasting remains one of the five pillars of Islam, with Muslims encouraged to also donate to the poor during the festive period.