Muharram likely to begin in Pakistan on June 17

ISLAMABAD: Muharram-ul-Haram 1448 AH is expected to begin in Pakistan on Wednesday, June 17, according to astronomical calculations cited by the Ruet-e-Hilal Research Council.

Khalid Ejaz Mufti, secretary general of the council, said on Sunday that the new moon will be born at 7:54am Pakistan Standard Time on June 15. He said that by sunset that day, the moon’s age would remain below 12 hours across the country, which is significantly lower than the minimum age generally considered necessary for sighting the crescent.

Mufti said the gap between sunset and moonset is also an important factor in determining visibility. On June 15, that interval is expected to be 37 minutes in Karachi and 42 minutes in Peshawar. Despite that, he said the moon’s young age would make sighting unlikely.

According to Mufti, the crescent is not expected to be visible on the evening of June 15 even if weather conditions remain clear, whether viewed with the naked eye, binoculars or telescopes. The Ruet-e-Hilal Research Council therefore expects Muharram 1, 1448 AH to fall on June 17 after the completion of 30 days of Zil Hajj 1447 AH. He added, however, that the official Shariah-based announcement on the Muharram moon and the start of the new Islamic year will be made by the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee.