The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee (RHC) assembled in Islamabad on Thursday evening with the primary objective of sighting the Shawwal crescent, a crucial step in officially marking the end of Ramadan. This meeting holds significant importance as it determines the exact date for Eid ul Fitr celebrations across Pakistan, a festival observed with great fervor by millions of Muslims nationwide. The session was presided over by the committee’s chairman, Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, who leads the deliberations and coordinates with various regional moon sighting groups.
Simultaneously, zonal and district-level moon sighting committees are conducting their own observations at their respective headquarters throughout the country. These local committees play a vital role in verifying the crescent’s visibility under different geographical and atmospheric conditions. Despite their efforts, no confirmed sightings of the Shawwal crescent have been reported so far from major cities including Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore. This absence of evidence has led experts to believe that the moon is unlikely to be visible on the evening of March 19.
Based on preliminary assessments and astronomical calculations, the consensus among scholars and scientists is that Pakistan will most likely complete a full 30-day month of Ramadan this year. Consequently, the first day of Shawwal, which marks Eid ul Fitr, is expected to fall on March 21. This projection aligns with the natural lunar cycle and the traditional Islamic calendar, which relies heavily on moon sightings to determine the start and end of months.
The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) provided detailed astronomical data indicating that the new moon of Shawwal 1447 AH was born at 06:23 Pakistan Standard Time on March 19. At sunset on the same day, the moon’s age would be approximately 12 hours and 41 minutes. Additionally, the interval between sunset and moonset along Pakistan’s coastal areas is estimated to be around 28 minutes. These conditions are generally considered unfavorable for the naked-eye visibility of the crescent, making it difficult for observers to spot the moon.
Looking beyond Pakistan’s borders, the Shawwal crescent was also not sighted in several Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday evening. As a result, these nations have announced that Eid ul Fitr will be observed on Friday. In contrast, Afghanistan has already commenced its Eid celebrations today, highlighting the regional variations in moon sighting and the start of Islamic months. This divergence is common due to differing local sighting reports and interpretations of lunar data.
It is important to remember that Pakistan began observing the first fast of Ramadan 2026 on February 19. the Islamic lunar calendar, each month lasts either 29 or 30 days, depending on the actual sighting of the crescent moon. This lunar system causes Islamic months, including Ramadan and Shawwal, to shift approximately 10 days earlier each year in relation to the Gregorian calendar. Eid ul Fitr, therefore, moves through different seasons over the years, maintaining its religious significance as a time for spiritual renewal, fasting, charity, and communal prayers.
As Muslims across Pakistan await the official announcement from the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, preparations for Eid ul Fitr are already underway. The festival marks the culmination of a month-long period of fasting, self-restraint, and devotion, celebrated with prayers, feasts, and acts of generosity. The committee’s decision will bring clarity and unity to the nation’s observance of this important religious occasion.
