The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee declared on Tuesday that the Muharram moon, which marked the commencement of the new Islamic year, has not been sighted.
Consequently, Youm-e-Ashura, the 10th day of Muharram, will be observed on July 29 (Saturday), while the first day of Muharram will fall on Thursday (July 20), heralding the start of the new Islamic year, 1445 AH.
The Ruet-e-Hilal Committee meeting was presided over by Moulana Syed Muhammad Abdul Khabir Azad and held at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Quetta.
It was attended by Chief Meteorologist Sardar Sarfaraz and other officials.
Earlier, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had predicted that the moon would be born at the crossing conjunction point at 11:32 p.m. on July 17 (Monday). However, based on astronomical parameters, the PMD issued a notification a day earlier stating that there was a slight chance of sighting the new moon of Muharram, 1445 AH on the evening of July 18, 2023 (29th of Zilhaj, 1444 AH).
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia announced that the Islamic year in the Kingdom would commence on July 19. According to the Umm Al-Qura calendar, Tuesday would be the last day of the month of Zilhaj, 1444 Hijri, corresponding to July 18, 2023. Wednesday would mark the first day of the month of Muharram, 1445 Hijri, corresponding to July 19, 2023, as per the court’s announcement.
