The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee announced on Friday that the Ramadan moon was not sighted in Pakistan, and the first fast will be observed on Sunday, March 2.
The committee, led by Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad, convened in Peshawar to observe the Ramadan moon.
During a press conference following the meeting, Maulana Azad stated that no testimonies regarding the moon sighting were received from any part of the country.
The decision was made after various zonal committees, holding meetings in their respective regions, also reported no evidence of the moon’s appearance.
Saudi Arabia to Observe First Fast on Saturday
Saudi Arabia is typically the first country to confirm the moon sighting for Islamic months, followed by other Arab, Middle Eastern, and Western nations, as well as some regions in India.
Muslims worldwide welcome Ramadan with devotion and enthusiasm. Over a billion believers will observe fasting throughout the month, practicing patience and self-restraint while emphasizing charity and community welfare.
Islamic months consist of either 29 or 30 days, with their beginning and end determined by the sighting of the crescent moon. As a result, Ramadan does not fall on a fixed date each year.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which, despite having the same number of months as the Gregorian calendar, is approximately 10 days shorter due to being based on the lunar cycle.
Because of this, Ramadan shifts annually in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. People in Saudi Arabia will observe their first fast on Saturday.