Daily Times
May 16, 2021
Pakistan celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr with religious fervor and festivity amid tightened covid restrictions, on May 13th, which marked a rare occasion when the religious festivity was observed on the same day across the country.Bot only this, but after decades, Pakistani Muslims observed the holy festival along with their brethren in the rest of the world including those in the Arab nations, the US and Canada.
However, this Eid too wasn’t short of any controversy, when former Ruet-e-Hilal Committee chairman Mufti Muneebur Rehman, casted doubts over the moon sighting committee’s decision to declare Eid on Thursday i.e May 13th, and asked the nation to observe a Qaza Roza [compensatory fast].
A moon for two Eids
Opinion
May 16, 2021
Overseas Pakistanis are denied the excitement of sighting the Eid moon on the 29th of Ramazan. Even when there is no suspense about the outcome, the entire spectacle is dutifully staged. The evening belongs to a select group of religious scholars who gather on a rooftop to peer into a telescope, looking for the new moon that should technically be visible to the naked eye.
But we have a history of how this supposedly easy and straightforward exercise can become controversial. After all, a new moon makes a fleeting appearance. Or a phantom moon may rise in the rugged hills of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the vision is promptly conveyed to Mufti Popalzai in Peshawar, our practised bringer of the first Eid when we have two.
Impossible to have seen Eid moon on May 12 even with telescope: astronomer
Pakistan
Fri, May 14, 2021
KARACHI: It was impossible to sight the Shawwal moon on the night of May 12 even with a telescope, says Javed Iqbal, the head of Karachi University s space, science and technology institute.
Under astronomy, the moon was not likely to appear on May 12, he said, adding that the moon was not even likely to appear in Peshawar on May 12.
Astronomer Dr Shahid Qureshi, too, said the moon was not likely to appear on May 12.
Controversy around the sighting of the moon for Eid have been ongoing for the last two days in Pakistan since the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee announced the dates for Eid a day earlier than expected.
Mufti Muneeb, ulema claim Eid moon-sighting decision made ‘under pressure’
Ask Muslims to fast for one more day SAMAA | TV - Posted: May 13, 2021 | Last Updated: 2 hours ago SAMAA | TV Posted: May 13, 2021 | Last Updated: 2 hours ago
Photo: Mufti Muneebur Rehman/Facebook
Mufti Muneeb and certain ulema have claimed that the Ruet-e-Hilal committee made a mistake in announcing Eid today, and the decision was done at the behest of rulers.
Mufti Muneeb, who is the former chairman of the moon-sighting committee, said that people should fast tomorrow or before the next Ramazan, as qaza roza.
The Karachi president of the Jamiat Ulema Pakistan said the same. Mufti Mohammad Ghaus asked under whose pressure did the committee announce Eid today, when there were no reliable witnesses and scientific evidence showed the same.