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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Religious Harmony Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi has said that the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee (RHC) took the right decision regarding the announcement of Eid on Thursday (today).
Maulana Ashrafi claimed that the moon is visible today, which is proof that the decision of the RHC was correct. It was not a wrong decision to observe Eid today as the announcement was made by the RHC in line with the Shariah, he stressed, adding that believers are not required to observe a qaza fast.
Ashrafi’s remarks came in response to former RHC Chairman Mufti Muneeb ur Rehman’s statement in which he urged believers to observe a qaza fast in lieu of Ramadan 30.
Mufti Muneeb had also requested those who observed aitkaaf to perform a qaza for that along with a fast, adding that he too would be fasting on Friday to make up for the missed roza.
The issue of moonsighting had also become controversial after a leaked video started making rounds on social media in which a member of the Central RHC, could be seen talking on the phone with someone and saying that the committee announced eid “in a bid to show unity.”
Ashrafi said that the process was delayed as the information related to the sighting of the moon was being verified by the Darul Ifta (fatwa department) Pakistan.
“The whole nation, including those who doubted the news of moon sighting, celebrated the Eid today,” said Ashrafi. “People who had rejected the announcement agreed to it later in line with the Islamic principles (Shariah) and not due to politics.”
Today, Pakistan is celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr with religious zeal and fervour, but under strict lockdown due to the rising number of coronavirus infections. The late-night announcement took many Pakistani by surprise as the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee deliberated over four hours during a meeting in Islamabad chaired by Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad.
In a press conference, Azad said testimonies were received from Balochistan’s Chaman, Qila Saifullah, and Pasni, Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Mirpurkhas in Sindh among other areas. Azad said the zonal committees in different cities did well to verify the testimonies before forwarding them to the central committee.
