THOUGH the country celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr on the same day (Sunday) following final announcement of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee about sighting of the Shawwal Moon but the entire nation was kept in suspense due to advance pronouncement made by Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry that the new moon was born on Saturday and Eid could be celebrated on Sunday. Chairman of the Committee Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman has taken exception to this advance announcement urging the Prime Minister to stop the Minister from interfering in religious affairs.
The viewpoints of both the Minister and the Chairman of Ruet-e-Hilal Committee were logical as the former was talking about a scientific fact and the latter was referring to religious requirements. The Minister was hammering out the point that there was scientific evidence of birth of the crescent, an assertion that proved right in the final analysis when the new moon was actually sighted. No one would object to sharing of facts and scientific knowledge and evidence but the way the Minister held a press conference to declare that Eid would be held on Sunday sent a chaotic message all around with even the Religious Affairs Minister Noorul Haq Qadri declaring that Eid would be celebrated in the country as per decision of the Committee. A queer situation was evolving with Minister for Science and Technology and Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai announcing celebration of Eid on Sunday, Met Office hinting at remote chances of Ruet and Hilal Committee undecided for hours. It was something funny a Minister was at loggerheads with the Hilal Committee passing sarcastic remarks and raising doubts about its functioning and work despite the fact the Committee has official mandate of moon sighting. There is a difference between ‘presence’ of new moon which can be confirmed by science but the religious scholars say it has actually to be sighted for an announcement to be made. On the basis of scientific knowledge, Hilal Committee can ask local administrations of the areas where moon sighting is possible to make special but credible arrangements for sighting of the moon.
