Shaban to begin in Saudi Arabia from Monday after moon not sighted

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has announced that the moon for the month of Shaban was not sighted in the kingdom and Sunday would be the last day of Rajab.

According to local media reports, the month of Shaban will begin from Monday as the moon could not be sighted on Saturday owing to heavy dust and the sandstorm which is sweeping the Kingdom.

A dust storm swept the northern region of Saudi Arabia, including Al Jawf, the capital Riyadh, Qassim, Hail, as well as eastern parts of Mecca and Medina, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

Shaban is the last lunar month before Ramadan, and so Muslims determine in it when the first day of Ramadan fasting will be. Based on the last day of Shaban, Ramadan might start on April 13, subject to moon-sighting.

Shaban moon sighting in Pakistan 

The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will meet on Sunday (today) in connection with the sighting of the moon of Shaban, 1442 AH.

The moon sighting committee’s chairman Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad will chair the meeting.

Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) earlier stated that there is a good chance of sighting the new moon of Shaban 1442 AH on the evening of March 14 i.e. 29th of Rajab.

The weather department in its statement said that Shaban, 1442 AH moon born on crossing conjunction point at 15-22 Pakistan Standard Time (PST) on 13 March 2021.

The met office said that the Shaban crescent will most likely be sighted on the evening of Sunday, March 14.

According to the climate record, the weather is expected to be fair or partly cloudy in most parts of the country on that evening.