Recently, Mufti Munib-ur-Rehman, Chairman of the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee for moon-sighting, was in the news again.
He requested the Ministry of Religious Affairs to restrain the Met Office, the authority on weather forecasts, from making moon sighting predictions.
Observers say that one reason for taking such a measure is to avert confusion and to solidify the stance of Ruet-i-Hilal Committee (RHC). Whereas others believe that the Committee wants to get exclusive rights for this responsibility, relying on eyesight for moon-sighting instead of the scientific methods employed by the Met Office to accurately predict the appearance (and disappearance) of the moon on certain important Islamic dates.
The letter to the Religious Ministry that requested the same was written on Wednesday, according to reports. A senior official in the ministry who wished to remain anonymous, disclosed that this decision was made after last month’s controversial press conference at the time of Eid ul Fitr moon sighting. Readers may remember that on that day, Mufti Munib was swarmed with the press, making him lose his temper given the behavior of certain media personnel at the press conference.
The source also disclosed that Met’s Office has received the letter and has taken notice whereas no official response has been made yet.
Furthermore, the committee will gather at Karachi on 2nd of September for the Zilhaj moon sighting to announce the date for Eid ul Azha.
I don’t think there is a need to restrain Met Department, however they should control the Media Outlets that start the race of moon-sighting before the actual time, causing confusion among the mass.
bro u can find calculations on the internet about moon sighting. It is not just met office you need to be dependent upon.
even our met office gets all of its data from internet, since their own equipment doesn’t even power on.
Next time search yourself don’t rely on met office
Than what these Halwa Molvi will do? Deen is their Business and source of income by keeping the Muslims Illiterate and Backward
And you are one of the of being Illiterate. Halwa is a Sunna and and you should have to respect it by all aspects. What Ulema-e-Kiram is doing based on Different Reasons based on Quran o Hadis. So please dont show where you come from.
Hence, you are denying the following of science and advancement? Please dont go to the doctor next time you fall sick, or the pharmacy to get a medicine. Rely on the hakeems!
Islam And Science are Fully Compatible with each other
Only the Ignorants and Illiterate can’t understand it
Muslims do not rely on hakeems, these rely on Islamic ways of treatment. Also mentioned in Hadith and Quran.
If you talk about advancement and science, why don’t you follow West and take your ladies out on roads and bars??
If molvi asks you to keep your eyes down in front of women, why you say that molvi is doing haram and going against independence rights?? Why don’t you say that, “yes– i made a mistake, i was going against Islam and teaching of Allah and our beloved holy prophet, i am sorry, i will never do it again”???
What a shame Muslim you are!!
Who told you following Quran and Hadith is denying the following of science and advancement? Mufti Sahib or any other Muslim scholar is not against science and technology. In my opinion he just wanted to avoid media take over of all the moon sighting event.
No they should go to a mulavi.
Beta Respect Molvi(s) because they will do Imamat of your Namaz e Janaza
These EXPIRED Molvies can’t see the person standing next to them, how can they site the moon? Technology should be adopted and professionals must be hired for this important job and KICK-OUT these HALWA Movies who are using Deen e Islam to earn their income.
I wonder how did they sight the moon when technology wasn’t there. Even still people of kpk sight the moon precisely and the best part is the committee in Peshawar work for free.
Hilal Committee of KPK always a Fraud and they base their decision on false sightings. It is not Possible to see the moon in KPK before Karachi. In Pakistan only Karachi or the southern most areas are places, where moon will sight first..
Nope. I am from kpk, people of my area has sighted Cresent many times. Besides on the first day of punjabistan’s eid the Cresent size always indicate it’s of two days or nights whatever.
Hilal committee also depends on witnesses from accross the country especially KPK unlike national hilal combaty.
I don’t understand why ProPakistani is targeting “Mufti Muneeb ur Rehman” just like the typical “corrupt media”. May be there is some hidden agenda here or is it just an example of yellow journalism.
Yes he is Chairman, but there are 50+ other Ulema from all the sects who have collectively decided to kick out Meteorological Office. Why? First of all our met office is the worst, the systems there are outdated (may be from the 80’s) and usually all their predictions about weather are inaccurate, hell they can’t even tell the correct readings regarding an earthquake.
Secondly moon-sighting is a matter related to religion and it should be decided by those who know the religion better.
As a Muslim, I would rather put my faith in a committee of “Ulema” than believing the incompetent met office.
Their biz runs in the name of Islam. Remember what they did on last Eid? they kept on fighting with each other.
There needs to be ingress of technology as and when it gets developed. Our ability to study the world and the universe is not our own, it comes from Allah SWT. It’s high time that Ulema should understand the realities of the contemporary world. At the same time, requirements laid down by Shariat should be fulfilled. Physical ruet should be observed as well. But denying (or restraining) scientific observations will be counterproductive.
A really useful website for moonsighting charts: http://moonsighting.com/visibility.html
How can we not agree on this thing.
I am neutral, as cannot comment on religious affairs. Met and Mufti can take better decision.
Going back to Stone age…These mullahs will never ever be educated no wonder why his brethren are blowing up schools…..fire this man enough is enough…have we no other qualified person to head this committee?
Below is profile summary of a member of Royat e Halal Comittee. It may answer many questions in many beautiful minds;
Syed Shabbir Kakakhel (DB) is a famous scientist, graduated in mechanical engineering, post graduate in nuclear engineering, also specialized in advanced numerical techniques from Germany, working in Pakistan Atomic energy, teaches mechanical engineering to the post graduate engineer students in Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied sciences (PIEAS), acting as deputy chief engineer. He is also permanent member of Central Royat e Halal Comittee. He also teaches astronomy.. He is also Specialized in prayer timings and Qibla Direction.
He is right that this is not the issue of science but the issue of sighting. The moon must be sighted by the naked eye. However problem is that when moon is sighted then our scholars imprisoned to nation-state refuses to accept this shahada. So if a Muslim sights it on the other side of the border in India near Lahore they would reject it.
This issue will continue until we have Khilafah which will look for the sighting around the world and announces Eid or Haj dates, as we have one Day for Arafah and one day for Eid. It is haram to fast on the day of Eid
loosing his cool in fear of loosing his job? that’s not very Muslamic is it? Come on Mufti saib.