Govt seeks unified start of Ramazan across country

ISLAMABAD: As a corollary to its bid to have uniform prayer timings for people of all sects in Islamabad, the government is now making efforts to ensure that Ramazan begins on the same day in all parts of the country.

The religious affairs ministry has been establishing contacts with all the stakeholders to follow and accept the decision of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee regarding the start of the holy month of fasting.

Federal Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousuf has approached Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Religious Affairs Minister Haji Habibur Rahman and local religious scholars.



Referring to the ministry’s decision to have uniform prayer timings, Yousuf asked Rahman for his support in addressing the issue of moon-sighting.

According to a senior ministry official, Yousuf has asked all the stakeholders to consider the request and to cooperate with the ministry to make sure that Ramazan begins on the same day across the country. The minister said in a statement that all measures would be employed to ensure it.

The ministry official said Yousuf had talked with religious scholars in K-P about the latest equipment used for moon-sighting.

The minister told them that the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee had sub-committees and representatives all across the country.

Moreover, the meteorological department and aerospace also assist in moon-sighting, improving the chances of its accuracy, he added.

On behalf of the government, the minister also offered the religious scholars assistance and latest scientific equipment for moon-sighting, as well as the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee’s support.

Uniform prayer timings

The government is considering several options for implementing the decision of uniform prayer timings introduced last month during Imam-e-Kaaba Sheikh Khalid al Ghamdi’s visit to the federal capital, according to sources in the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

Apparently taken in haste without completing the required groundwork, the decision has backfired as it was rejected by a majority of mosque committees.

Sources said a 10-member Salat committee comprising Ulema from different schools of thought had held a meeting, during which they floated a proposal that the government should promulgate an ordinance for implementation of its decision on uniform prayer timings.

Referring to the Punjab Regulation and Control of Loudspeakers and Sound Amplifiers Ordinance, the Ulema said a similar approach should be adopted for making uniform prayer timings mandatory.

The proposal is expected to be discussed during the next meeting, a date for which has not been fixed thus far.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 15^th, 2015.