The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee on Sunday announced that the “Crescent moon of Shawwal 1443” has not appeared so Eid-ul-Fitr will now be observed after tomorrow (Tuesday).

According to the 24News HD TV channel, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee met today to sight the moon of Shawwal 1443 AH at the office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony in Islamabad.

The zonal and district level meetings of the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee were also held at their respective headquarters including Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, and Peshawar in the meantime for sighting the Eid moon.

Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Chairman Maulana Syed Abdul Khabir Azad announced the final decision about not sighted the crescent in any part of the country after collecting evidence from all zonal headquarters.

Addressing the media after the committee meeting Maulana Syed Abdul Khabir Azad said they have not received any witness of moon sighting from any part of the country so the Eid will be observed on May 03.

It is worth mentioning that a representative of Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai from Masjid Qasim Ali Khan in Peshawar also participated in the Central Route Hilal Committee and informed the moon sighting evidence.

According to sources, the Central Route Hilal Committee refused to accept the evidence.

The Meteorological Department had already predicted that the Eidul Fitr is likely to fall on May 3 (Tuesday) as the Shawwal moon is expected to be sighted on May 2 (Monday).

The department said the birth of the Shawwal moon is expected at 1:28 am on the night between April 30 and May 1 and it would not be possible to see it with the naked eye on Sunday evening.

It further stated that if the weather remains clear, the moon can be sighted for 40 to 89 minutes, after sunset, in different areas of the country on Monday.

Saudi Arabia to celebrate Eid Monday

Eid-ul-Fitr in Saudi Arabia will be observed on Monday, May 2 as the Shawwal moon was not sighted in the Kingdom on Saturday evening.

The Saudi Supreme Court has said Muslims will observe 30 days of Ramazan and will celebrate Eidul Fitr on Monday.