Zilhaj moon not sighted in Pakistan; Eidul Azha to fall on August 1

KARACHI: The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee has made a formal announcement that the crescent of Zilhaj month was not sighted across the country, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

Chairman Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Mufti Muneebur Rehman announced that the body has not sighted moon and the month of Zilhaj will begin from Thursday (July 23) while Eidul Azha will be celebrated on August 1.

The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee met at Met Complex in Karachi after Asar prayers today to witness the crescent of Zil-haj month. During the meeting, the central committee has also collected evidence of crescent from the zonal committees sat in Lahore, Quetta and Peshawar.

Read: ‘Fair chance’ of Zilhaj moon sighting on July 21st: met office

Earlier, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had predicted on July 4 that there is a fair chance of sighting the moon of Zilhaj, 1441 AH on the evening of July 21 i.e. on 29th of Ziqad.

In a statement the met office had said that the new moon of Zilhaj, 1441 AH will be born on crossing conjunction point at 22:33 Pakistan Standard Time (PST) on 20 July (Monday).

According to astronomical parameters, there is ‘fair chance’ of sighting the new moon of Zilhaj, 1441 AH on the evening of Tuesday, July 21st i.e. on 29th of Ziquad, 1441 AH, the met office predicted.

Yesterday, the Saudi Arabian Supreme Court had also announced that the Eidul Azha will fall on July 31 as Zil-haj crescent was not sighted on Monday.

“This means that Wednesday, July 22, will be the first of Zil Hajj that marks the start of this year’s Hajj season, which will be limited to only 10,000 pilgrims from within the Kingdom due to the coronavirus pandemic,” the publication reported.