Shabaan moon sighted, Shab-e-Barat on April 8

KARACHI: The crescent for the Islamic month of Shabaan-ul-Moazzam moon has been sighted across the country, Chairman Ruet-i-Hilal Committee Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman has announced.

The meeting of the central Ruet-i-Hilal committee under the chair of Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman was held at the Met Office in Karachi, while zonal committee meetings were held in Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar and other areas. He announced the moon sighting after receiving credible and sufficient witnesses.

The first of Shabaan will fall on 26 March, 2020 (tomorrow) and consequently, the festive occasion of Shab-e-Barat will fall on the midnight between 8 and 9 April.

Shab-e-Barat has special significance as special prayers are offered in the mosques throughout the night to seek blessings of the Almighty Allah and forgiveness for their sins.

The holy month of Ramazan will likely commence from 26 or 27 April, depending on the moon sighting.

Last week, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has said that there was a good chance of sighting the new moon of Shaban 1441 AH on the evening of 25 March.

The new moon of Shabaan, 1441 AH will be born on crossing conjunction point at 14-28 PST on 24 March (Tuesday), weather department has predicted. The crescent of Shaban, the 8th month of the Islamic lunar calendar, will most likely to be sighted on the evening of 25 March.