Muharram moon sighted, Ashura on July 6

QUETTA: The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee announced that the Muharram ul-Haram moon has been sighted in Pakistan, and Ashura will be marked on July 6 throughout the country.

Addressing a presser following the committee’s meeting in Quetta, Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad said that the month of Muharram will commence on Friday, June 27, with Ashura falling on Sunday, July 6.

Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad said that moon-sighting regional committees also held their meetings in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar. He said that several reports confirming the sighting of the Muharram ul-Haram moon were received from different regions.

Significance of Muharram

The month of Muharram holds deep significance in Islam as the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The first day of Muharram is observed as Youm-e-Umar (Day of Umar), marking the martyrdom of Hazrat Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA), the second Caliph of Islam, who was assassinated on 1 Muharram 23 AH (644 CE).

Ahusra, observed on 10th Muharram, is the day to mark the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussein ibn Ali (RA), his family members and companions who were martyred during the Battle of Karbala.