Zilhaj moon not sighted, ‘Eid on July 10’

Ruet-e-Hilal Committee’s central chairman Maulana Syed Muhammad Abdul Khabeer Azad chairs the meeting in Karachi

KARACHI:

Eidul Azha will be celebrated on July 10 (Sunday) as the Zilhaj moon has been not sighted, Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad announced on Wednesday.

The meetings of the zonal committees were held at their respective headquarters in Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Quetta, and Peshawar.

Addressing a news conference here, Maulana Azad said it was decided with a unanimous consensus that Eidul Azha would be celebrated on July 10.

"May God grant the blessings of the upcoming days to the entire Islamic world and this beloved country of mine," he said.

Azad stressed that a message of unity should be taken forward. The chairman then held prayers for peace and stability in the country.

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Earlier, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said there would be a slim chance of the Zilhaj moon sighting.

According to the Met Office, the final day of the new lunar month would likely fall on July 1.
Moreover, the International Astronomical Centre (IAC) had also asked countries to organise meetings to sight the moon, saying Eid would be celebrated in Saudi Arabia on July 9.

Dr Javed Iqbal, head of the Institute of Space Science and Technology at the Karachi University, said:

"The altitude of the moon will be less than five degrees when the sun sets that day (June 29) and the moon will not be visible as the duration of the setting of the sun and the moon will be only 30 minutes."

As per the Islamic lunar calendar, Zilhaj is the 12th month. Muslims across the globe celebrate the occasion on the 10th of Zilhaj every year to commemorate the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH).