Shawwal moon not sighted, Pakistan to celebrate Eidul Fitr on Saturday
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Chairman Ruet-i-Hilal Committee Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman announced that the moon for the month of Shawwal was not sighted on Thursday, and that Eidul Fitr will be celebrated across Pakistan on Saturday.
Since the crescent moon which marks the new lunar month was not sighted today, Friday will be the 30th and final day of Ramazan.
The announcement was made by Mufti Muneeb after chairing a meeting of the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee. He said evidences of moon-sighting were not received from anywhere in the country.
The Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee had convened the meeting to sight the moon for Eidul Fitr in Karachi, whereas zonal bodies of the committee also met in Islamabad, Quetta, Peshawar and Lahore.
The Shawwal moon has been sighted in several other countries, including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Indonesia and Oman, where the first day of Eid will fall on Friday. India, where the crescent was not sighted, will celebrate Eid on Saturday as well.
Eid in KP tomorrow
In what has become an annual custom, many residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and recently-merged Fata will celebrate Eid on Friday after an unofficial moon-sighting committee in Peshawar headed by Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai announced that the moon has been sighted in various parts of the province.
See: 190 years of controversy: The Qasim Ali mosque and moon sighting elitism
Every year, the controversial moon-sighting committee led by its self-appointed head holds its meeting at the Masjid Qasim Ali Khan in Peshawar on 29th Ramazan welcoming witnesses from all over the province.
This year too, the committee claimed to have received 45 evidences from across the province and announced Eid on Friday after verification.
A large number of people from different parts of the city were present at the mosque for the announcement.
"We have received 45 evidences, including 10 from women," Mufti Popalzai said while speaking to reporters.
Eidul Fitr celebrations mark the culmination of the Holy month of Ramazan during which Muslims all over the world observe 30 days of fasting.
In Pakistan, Eid festivities are marked by last-minute late night shopping with shopping malls and markets bursting at the seams with energetic crowds.
The government has announced a four-day holiday for Eid this year, which will run from June 15 to June 18 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday).
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On DawnNews
Comments (57) Closed
Jun 14, 2018 09:27pm
Tomorrow Eid all over the world except Pakistan?
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Jun 14, 2018 09:33pm
It is a retarded system. Why not use the lunar system like we are using that in America. You can't see sun or moon in the polluted air aka smog.
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Jun 14, 2018 09:46pm
This happens in 2018 ?????
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Jun 14, 2018 10:32pm
What an epic picture! Looking through obsolete lenses to find moon at this day and age. Wow, just wow!
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Jun 14, 2018 10:39pm
So the moon appears for some but don't for others? Why can't they have a universal system, based on scientific calculations to determine the calendar? This is getting a laughing stock now for the Islamic world to see onto Pakistan.
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Jun 14, 2018 10:48pm
Was there no evidence of the sighting of the Eid-ul-Fitr crescent from any place in the NWFP, especially the part of the province that lies west of the River Indus?
Or, is it that the power-that-be in Pakistan don't consider an Eid-ul-Fitr on Friday to be a very good omen?
Eid is going to be celebrated tomorrow in countries to the west of Pakistan, such as Saudi Arabia, as well as countries to the east of Pakistan, such as Malaysia and Indonesia.
How come then that Pakistan isn't going to have Eid tomorrow?
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Jun 14, 2018 11:10pm
I don't understand why Ulema have been assigned the moon sighting task. Do they have better eyesight ? Why not give that task to scientists who can calculate accurately and decide Eid day far in advance?
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Jun 14, 2018 11:11pm
The whole world will be celebrating Eid Ul Fitr on June 15th, Pakistan a day later. If we just had a legible honorable corruption free government and politicians, we could get the moulanas some funding to buy updated equipment, which works inline with the global timings...
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Jun 14, 2018 11:15pm
As expected.......
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Jun 14, 2018 11:17pm
These religious leaders are stuck on seeing the moon, while the rest of the world has landed ON the moon. Eid is eid, regardless of what the Chairman Ruet-i-Hilal Committee says or sees. Plan Eid a year in advance and let people plan their holidays accordingly. You are NOT living in 600 AD. Use religion as a guide, but make full use of science and knowledge to make decisions in a PLANNED way. Pakistan does NOT need a Ruet-i-Hilal Committee, let the weather forecast department take care of this petty matter of seeing the moon.
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Jun 14, 2018 11:21pm
Even Saudi Arabia uses the ephemeris to find out the position of the moon. Does anyone consider the economic loss to the poor vendors that sell perishable food? ( Or worse, they are selling a day old goods, and not at their peak freshness). The world is traveling in one direction, only Pakistan seems to travel in the other towards backwardness in just about everything.
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Jun 14, 2018 11:39pm
Does anyone remember a single time Munib ur Rehman has seen the moon unless it's as bright as the sun?
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Jun 14, 2018 11:41pm
The Ruet-i-Hilal Committee should use the same telescope but turn its direction towards the hearts of religious leaders in our country and see how clean their hearts are. We need to use the telescope (of religious and spiritual teachings) to see how clean our hearts are. The moon does care if it is sighted or not, but an unclean heart can not see the light of the (new) moon!
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Jun 14, 2018 11:44pm
Scientifically moon cannot be sighted in KPK before Sindh. Popalzai is wrong by proven scientific methods.
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Jun 15, 2018 12:10am
@S Hassan Ali it seems like he is looking through a theodolite which is used for engineering surveys, not to observe heavenly bodies. And the lens seem to be covered too.
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Jun 15, 2018 12:19am
This man went behind the closed doors to decide if the moon has been sighted or not. Way to go. .just google it.
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Jun 15, 2018 12:22am
There is never when ti comes a dispute among our religious scholars when it comes to Eid-Ul-Azha.
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Jun 15, 2018 12:23am
What a disgusting waste of resources and time. Why do we need such non scientific committees . Why can’t we use metrological department instead. These frivolous entities must be abolished by act of parlement.
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Jun 15, 2018 12:27am
@Saint Mercury I agree. The Moon (& all the other heavenly bodies) 'rise' and 'set' regardless of whether you can see them or not. You can predict on what Eid will fall on in 2095.
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Jun 15, 2018 12:43am
Surely if it's sighted in one region then the whole nation should celebrate on the same day.
Interesting one local group says 45 people saw the moon in KPK yet no official from the Ruet-i-Hilal Committee manage to see or verify the sighting!
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Jun 15, 2018 01:12am
What else is New?
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Jun 15, 2018 01:17am
@Saint Mercury - system is just fine. Since there is time difference in day and nights around the world so would be the moon
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Jun 15, 2018 01:21am
Sience can calculate moon's position with 99.99% accuracy every second of any day, why are these dogmatic retards looking through the telescopes. If their justification is to abide by centuries old tradition of relying on naked eye citing, then why are they using the telescope? Does it have to be a mullah to look for the moon through the telescope, a scientist, engineer and especially an astromer are far more adept, knowledgable and experienced in citing the moon.
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Jun 15, 2018 01:55am
Probability of getting false shahadat of 2 to 6 people of disable population centers is near certain, I.e. 99.9%.
There must be some alternate method. One suggestion is that SHAHADA must be backed up with evidence. Imam make it mandatory that he or she who provides shahada must share a clip or connect live through WhatsApp or any alternate medium or recording. A video clip can not be repudiated in acourt of law.
Remember, why we need a replay or the third empire in the game of cricket now a days which was not there before. Get matured Popalzaio, use technology or technology will use you.
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Jun 15, 2018 02:04am
Why cannot we even get the most basic stuff right in Pakistan?
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Jun 15, 2018 02:18am
Strange. It’s visible in Peshawar but not in Lahore or Karachi. We apparently have different skies in Pakistan as well.
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Jun 15, 2018 02:20am
In the year 2038, the new moon will be on December 26th in Canberra, Australia.
This is the 21st century: we can calculate moonrise decades in advance. Precisely.
Let us bring the Muslim world into the 21st century, please.
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Jun 15, 2018 02:28am
Some countries are launching spacecraft to colonise the moon and exploit its resources. Others have an argument about merely sighting the moon!
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Jun 15, 2018 02:53am
Advance Eid Mubarak to Indic-Pakistanis and Eid Mubarak to Afghan-Pakistanis who are celebrating Eid today with the rest of the world.
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Jun 15, 2018 02:58am
I wonder how many times they sighted in last 15 years.
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Jun 15, 2018 03:12am
Again the whole world is celebrating Eid ahead of us!
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Jun 15, 2018 03:19am
Can he (Chairman) see something 50 yards away rather looking at the moon millions miles away. Why not Ruete-hilal Committee call on those who claim they have sighted the moon. Obtain there sworn statements and accept their evidence. Based on their testimony, the committee announce Eid. Is it necessary that only those who call Ruerehilala committee are credible and others not.
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Jun 15, 2018 03:24am
Here is yet another example of the maulvis not accepting the superiority of the scienctific knowledge; what is the point of all these Ruet-e-Hilaal committee meetings when the country's meteorological offices can determine the appearance of the crescent much more accurately?
In his announcement, Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman has never mentioned whether or not there have been any evidences of the sighting of the moon from any part of the NWFP (or the interior Sindh for that matter), the way he explicitly mentioned the Punjab or Balochistan.
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Jun 15, 2018 03:57am
Nice picture of moon sighting. I just love that
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Jun 15, 2018 04:02am
Why are they using century old devices to moon sight.
There are many more new advance methods. Lunar, satellites etc
Oh, Google too
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Jun 15, 2018 04:08am
This picture shows why we are so behind.
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Jun 15, 2018 04:13am
When an age old telescope can be used, why not a satellite to accurately locate moon?
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Jun 15, 2018 05:47am
World Technology is improving but our vision technology going obsolete on every Ramadhan.
Popalzai Zindabad!
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Jun 15, 2018 06:32am
Clinging to tradition in the name of religion.
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Jun 15, 2018 06:47am
Are you serious? Why are we making fun of ourselves in this day and age?
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Jun 15, 2018 07:02am
Why use lenses given by Science? Either sight with bare eyes or use Science completely. What should be a day of celebration ends up in a day of confusion.
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Jun 15, 2018 07:17am
I hope he was looking in the right direction!!
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Jun 15, 2018 07:52am
If moon was sighted in KP province and since this is a part of Pakistan therefore, Pakistani should also observe
Eid ul Fitar on Friday. Pakistani religious must unite and celebrate their religious holiday on the same day throughout the country.
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Jun 15, 2018 08:01am
It is very sad to see that Pakistani people celebrate Eid ul Fitar id different days. I do not understand why the Ruet-i-Hilal committee do not believe in the eye witnesses from KP province. Mufti Shahabuddin should get involve in the Ruet-i-Hilal committee since KP is a part of Pakistan. If moon is sited anywhere in Pakistan then Eid ul Fitar must be celebrated through out the country on the same day.
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Jun 15, 2018 08:09am
In this age of science and technology we still have people climbing on top of a multi story building and using a several feet long instrument to look for moon.
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Jun 15, 2018 08:25am
Started Ramazaan 2 days late and now Celebrating Eid 2!days late.
Amazing people
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Jun 15, 2018 08:28am
KPK has its own Moon in the province. Do they also have a different moon in FATA areas?
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Jun 15, 2018 08:52am
There is something seriously wrong with the Ret-i-Hilal committee of Pakistan. Countries and east and west of Pakistan have declared Eid, and as usual, Pakistan is a day late. The committee should be abolished, and the country should follow the calendar.
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Jun 15, 2018 10:36am
The picture says it’s all
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Jun 15, 2018 10:48am
@Ahmad How come it can be sighted in countries east and west of Pakistan.
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Jun 15, 2018 11:10am
Popalzai has his own moon in the sky which only he can see. Rest of the Pakistan sees a different moon.
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Jun 15, 2018 11:15am
Mufti Popalzai manages to find some moon sighting witnesses every year on 29th of Ramadan. How convenient is that? Has he (or his followers) ever completed 30 days of fasting? Must be a record of Ramadan always being of 29 days in KPK.
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Jun 15, 2018 12:22pm
@Larkanavi there were 17 shahada from KP. Fault is not with Popalzai but with Muneeb.
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Jun 15, 2018 01:24pm
Good that people can celebrate EID for two days.
Why not people celebrate both days with family together.
Many workers can go home and enjoy an additional day with family.
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Jun 15, 2018 06:09pm
@Aamir Not only predict, you can calculate exact time with scientific method for even after 1000 years.
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Jun 15, 2018 06:31pm
I am an Indian & just want to know, why 1st day of moonsight is so much special & important for Muslims.? Is there any special incident happened on that day or any other reason ?Pl. help.
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Jun 16, 2018 06:22pm
The mon completes its orbit around the earth in 354 daysand
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