Rabi-ul-Awal moon not sighted in Pakistan

Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad announced on Sunday that the moon for Rabi ul Awal had not been sighted, confirming that Eid Milad un Nabi (Peace Be Upon Him) will be celebrated on September 6.

Eid Milad un Nabi (PBUH), observed on the 12th of Rabi ul Awal each year, is celebrated across the country with religious enthusiasm and is declared a public holiday by the government.

The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee held a zonal session in Karachi with Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad presiding over it. The meeting was also attended by representatives from the Meteorological Department and the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Zonal sessions were simultaneously conducted in Lahore, Quetta, and Peshawar to collect evidence regarding crescent sightings.

Earlier, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) had released a forecast for the sighting of the Rabi ul Awal moon for the Islamic year 1447 AH.

According to the statement, the new moon was expected to be born at 11:06 am on August 23. By sunset on August 24, it would be about 32 hours and 13 minutes old, making it well within the visibility range.

Along the country’s coastal areas, the time difference between sunset and moonset was about 45 minutes, which increased the chances of sighting the crescent, provided the skies remained clear.