Ruet-e-Hilal Committee to meet on Monday for sighting of Zilhaj moon

A meeting of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee has been called on Monday for sighting the crescent of Islamic month of Zilhaj in Pakistan, Express News reported.

Eidul Azha is celebrated on 10th of Zilhaj across the Muslim world.

According to a spokesperson, Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad, of the chairman of Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, will preside over the meeting in Karachi.

Similarly, zonal committees will also hold meetings in various cities, including Islamabad, Lahore, and Peshawar on the same day.

The zonal committees will submit reports to the central committee upon receiving testimonies regarding the sighting of the moon, and the announcement of the moon sighting will be made by the central committee.

Read more: Possible date of moon sighting for Zilhaj in Pakistan revealed

Subsequently, the Ministry of Religious Affairs will issue an official notification in accordance with the tradition.

The meeting will be attended by experts from the Pakistan Meteorological Department, representatives from the government, and members of the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee.

Earlier this week, the International Astronomical Centre (IAC) said the first Zilhaj in Pakistan is expected to fall on Tuesday, June 20 or Wednesday, June 21. Consequently, Eidul Azha in the country may occur on Thursday, June 29, or Friday, June 30.

Eidul Azha commemorates the Quranic tale of the Prophet Ibrahim’s (PBUH) willingness to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to Allah, before the Almighty replaced the son with a ram to be sacrificed instead.

It marks the end of an annual Hajj, or pilgrimage to Makkah, which is one of the five pillars of Islam, and should be undertaken by every Muslim who can afford to do so.