Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will hold a meeting today in Karachi to sight the crescent for Zilhaj. Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Chairman Maulana Syed Abdul Khabir Azad will preside over the meeting that will also be attended by the members of Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee and Zonal Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Karachi as well as representatives from Ministry of Religious Affairs, SUPARCO, Met Office and Ministry of Science and Technology.
Zonal Ruet-e-Hilal Committees across the country will also hold meetings at their respective headquarters in Islamabad, Lahore Quetta and Peshawar. According to Astronomers, the Eid-ul-Azha, which is being observed on the 10th day of Zilhaj will be observed on July 10 as there are lesser chances of sighting the Zilhaj crescent on June 29.
Head of the Institute of Space Science and Technology of Karachi University Professor Dr Javed Iqbal has predicted that Eid-ul-Azha will fall on Sunday, July 10.
According to Prof Javed, the altitude of the Zilhaj crescent will be less than five degrees when the sun sets on June 29 and there would be only half-an-hour duration between sunset and moonset so the crescent could not be sighted. Hence, the first Zilhaj will fall on July 1 and Eid-ul-Azha on July 10.
If the moon is sighted on June 29, it is likely that Pakistan will celebrate the Eid-ul-Azha along with Saudi Arabia and other major countries of the Muslim world as there is a strong possibility of the Zilhaj crescent sighting in Saudi Arabia on June 29.
Saudi Arabia has officially asked local citizens to spot and report if any the new moon of Zilhaj– which marks the beginning of Eid-ul-Azha and confirms the date and time of Hajj 2022, on Wednesday 29th of Ziqaad 1443 AH corresponding to June 29, 2022.
“The Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia has called upon residents of the Kingdom to search for the crescent of the month of Dhul Hijjah 1443 on the evening of Wednesday, 29 Dhul Qadah 1443 (30 Dhul Qadah 1443 according to Umm Al Qura Calendar), corresponding to June 29th 2022 and report to any sightings”, the Saudi Royal Court said in a statement.
