Muharram moon sighting: Ruet-i-Hilal Committee meets in Quetta today

A session of the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee has been convened in Quetta today (Tuesday evening) for the sighting of the crescent of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar.

The meeting will be chaired by the committee’s chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad.

The meetings of zonal and district moon sighting committees will also be held at their respective cities at the same time.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), there are slim chances of sighting the Muharram moon on the evening of Tuesday (July 18), which will mark the beginning of the new Islamic year, 1445 AH.

Citing astronomical parameters, the Met department has said that the new moon will be born on the crossing conjunction point at 11:32pm on July 17 (Monday). Therefore, the crescent will be sighted the next day.

“According to astronomical parameters, there is a slight chance of sighting the new moon of Muharram, 1445 AH, on the evening of 18-07-2023, i.e. 29th of Zilhaj, 1444 AH,” the PMD said in a notification issued in this regard. The Met Department also cited the climate record, according to which the weather is expected to be partly cloudy or cloudy in most parts of the country. – News Agencies