LAHORE : The Ruet-i-Hilal Research Council (RHRC) has announced that the festival of Eidul Fitr is expected to be celebrated across Pakistan on Saturday, April 22, 2023. The announcement was made by the council’s Secretary-General, Khalid Ijaz Mufti, a private TV channel reported .
Eid-ul-Fitr 2023: Sighting of Shawwal Moon to Determine Eid Date:
The Ruet-i-Hilal committee will convene on Thursday, April 20, to sight the Shawwal moon. If the crescent is sighted on Thursday evening, then Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on Friday, April 21, 2023. However, Mufti mentioned that it is unlikely that the moon will be sighted on the same evening.
Crescent Moon’s Birth and Age:
According to the council, the birth of the moon is expected to occur on Thursday, April 20, at 9:13 am Pakistan time. On the evening of the 29th of Ramazan, the moon’s age at sunset should be more than 19 hours for sighting. However, it is anticipated to be less than 10 hours in all areas of Pakistan.
Weather Conditions and Sighting Possibilities :
The difference between sunset and moonset should be more than 40 minutes for sighting. However, it will only be 21 minutes in certain areas, such as Peshawar, Gilgit, Muzaffarabad, Charsadda, Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Quetta, and Jiwani, and 20 minutes in Lahore and Karachi. The council stated that even if the weather is clear throughout Pakistan, there is no possibility of sighting the moon, even with a telescope, on the evening of April 20.
Eidul Fitr Celebrations and Clarifications:
Mufti said that the 30th of Ramazan will be observed on April 21, and the 1st of Shawwal will be celebrated on April 22. He also emphasized that any reports of crescent sighting from any province, city, or area of Pakistan on the evening of April 20 would be false. Mufti added that on the evening of April 21, the moon’s age at sunset will be more than 33 hours in all areas of Pakistan, and the difference between sunset and moonset will be 80 minutes, which is significant.
Significance of Eid ul Fitr:
Eidul Fitr marks the end of the holy month of Ramazan, during which Muslims fast from dawn until dusk. The festival is typically celebrated with prayers, family gatherings, and feasting. The exact date of Eidul Fitr is determined by the sighting of the crescent moon, which marks the beginning of the Islamic month of Shawwal.
(Islamabad51-Newsdesk)
