Muharram crescent not sighted, Ashura to be observed on June 26

The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee announced on Monday that the crescent moon marking the beginning of Muharram 1448 Hijri was not sighted

The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee announced on Monday that the crescent moon marking the beginning of Muharram 1448 Hijri was not sighted anywhere in Pakistan. As a result, the first day of Muharram will fall on Tuesday, June 17, while Ashura, observed on the 10th of Muharram, will be commemorated on June 26.

The announcement was made by Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad following a meeting held at the historic Badshahi Mosque in Lahore. Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Azad stated that no credible reports of moon sighting were received from any part of the country, leading the committee to unanimously conclude that Muharram would begin on June 17.

He explained that the committee gathered to make a Shariah-based decision regarding the sighting of the Muharram crescent. Meetings of zonal Ruet-e-Hilal committees were also held simultaneously in different cities across the country to collect and verify moon sighting testimonies. Representatives from the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) and other relevant institutions participated in the process and provided technical input regarding the visibility of the crescent.

Maulana Azad said several prominent religious scholars and committee members attended the meeting, including Mufti Fazal Jameel, Allama Yaseen Zafar, Mufti Muhammad Yousuf Kashmiri, Mufti Sameer Ahmad Sajid, and other members of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee.

According to meteorological data presented during the meeting, the new moon was born at 7:54 am on June 15. However, by sunset, the crescent was only 11 hours and 45 minutes old, which was considered insufficient for visibility. Experts from the PMD informed the committee that, during the month of June, a crescent generally needs to be at least 21 hours and 20 minutes old to be visible under normal conditions.

The committee’s decision was consistent with earlier predictions made by the Ruet-e-Hilal Research Council. Earlier this month, the council had forecast that Muharram 1448 AH would most likely begin on June 17, based on astronomical calculations indicating that the crescent would not be visible on the evening of June 15.

Khalid Ejaz Mufti, Secretary General of the Ruet-e-Hilal Research Council, had explained that while the moon was born on the morning of June 15, its age at sunset remained well below the threshold generally required for sighting. He noted that moon age is one of the most important factors in determining crescent visibility.

Mufti also highlighted another crucial factor—the time interval between sunset and moonset. On June 15, the moon was expected to remain above the horizon for approximately 37 minutes after sunset in Karachi and around 42 minutes in Peshawar. Although these intervals were considered favorable, the extremely young age of the moon significantly reduced the possibility of sighting.

According to astronomical assessments, the crescent could not be observed anywhere in Pakistan on the evening of June 15, even if weather conditions were completely clear. Experts stated that the moon would not have been visible with the naked eye, binoculars, or even telescopes.

With the moon not sighted, the Islamic New Year will begin on June 17, and Muslims across the country will observe Ashura on June 26 with religious gatherings, processions, and commemorative events marking the significance of the day in Islamic history.