Ruet-e-Hilal Committee
The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee is scheduled to convene in Islamabad on Tuesday, May 28, to sight the crescent of Zil Hajj 1446 Hijri, which will determine the official dates for Eid ul Adha celebrations in Pakistan.
The meeting will be presided over by the committee’s chairman, Maulana Syed Muhammad Abdul Khabeer Azad. Alongside the central committee, all Zonal Ruet-e-Hilal Committees will also meet at their respective headquarters across the country to collect and report regional moon sighting testimonies.
The final decision will be announced by the chairman based on the collective input from these zonal bodies.
Eid ul Adha, one of the most significant festivals in the Islamic calendar, is celebrated annually on the 10th of Zil Hajj. The day commemorates the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah’s command. It also marks the culmination of the Hajj pilgrimage in Makkah, which draws millions of Muslims from around the globe.
According to a projection by the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), Eid ul Adha is likely to fall on Saturday, June 7, subject to the official moon sighting. SUPARCO forecasts that the first day of Zil Hajj is expected to be observed on Wednesday, May 29.
The space agency reported that the Zil Hajj crescent will be born on Monday, May 27 at 8:02 AM, but its age by sunset that evening will be only 11 hours and 34 minutes, making it difficult to be sighted with the naked eye.
Meanwhile, in the United Arab Emirates, the Emirates Astronomy Society has predicted that Eid ul Adha will be observed a day earlier, on Friday, June 6.
Eid ul Adha is the second major Islamic festival after Eid ul Fitr. It is traditionally celebrated over three days with special prayers, animal sacrifices, and distribution of meat among family, friends, and those in need. The final confirmation regarding the date will depend on the outcome of the moon sighting meeting on Tuesday.
