ISLAMABAD: The Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Tuesday announced the sighting of the moon for the holy month of Ramazan across Pakistan, hence the first of Ramazan will begin on Wednesday (today).
The Ruet-e-Hilal Committee met in Peshawar on Tuesday after 17 years for moon-sighting. Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) and the Ministry of Science and Technology were also part of the meeting, reports Geo News.
Meanwhile, zonal committees from other cities also joined the meeting virtually. Chairman Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, had earlier said that the nation will observe the first fast (Roza) and Eid the same day.
This was the first Ramazan moon-sighting under Maulana Azad, who was appointed by the federal government in December last year, replacing Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman. Meanwhile, President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan Tuesday greeted the nation on the beginning of the holy month of Ramazan and urged them to strictly adhere to the COVID-19 SOPs.
In his message to the nation, President Alvi urged the nation to strictly follow all the SOPs during the month, which had been agreed upon after thorough consultations with the Ulema and Mashaikh.
The president said the holy month had enabled the nation in particular and the Muslim Ummah in general to fully reap the religious and moral benefits associated with the month. Fasting leads to piety, which also means that life should be led carefully, especially when the whole world is worried about the third wave of coronavirus pandemic, he added.
All the affected countries, he said, had been trying to overcome the outbreak by imposing emergency measures because it was a deadly one. President Alvi said everyone had to be careful and adopt certain measures, safeguarding their near and dear ones from the pandemic.
He observed that the people had to shun unnecessary social gatherings, and adopt washing and hygiene methods. According to health experts, wearing of masks and vaccination were also necessary.
The president underlined the need to fully implement the SOPs as agreed upon after consultations with the Mashaikh and Ulema regarding Namaz-e-Taraweeh, Aitkaf, and prayers, and other precautionary steps like making of ablution at homes and bringing of rugs.
Meanwhile, the prime minister greeted the nation the beginning of Ramazan and reminded that it was their individual as well as collective responsibility to ensure that the SOPs related to coronavirus were implemented in the month as was witnessed previously.
“I congratulate the entire nation and the Islamic Ummah on the arrival of Ramazan. It is a blessing of Allah Almighty that He has once again given us the opportunity to benefit from the bounties and blessings of Ramazan. The purpose of fasting is to create feelings of piety and self-sacrifice in a person. In the state of fasting, the servant obeys the command of Allah and abstains from everything that is permissible to him on ordinary days. In this way, piety and sanctity are created in the human being. Also, enduring hunger and thirst while fasting promotes feelings of empathy and compassion for others,” he said.
The prime minister noted, “The humanity is currently reeling from the ravages of the coronavirus. The manner in which the Pakistani nation acted on the SOPs during the last Ramazan and stopped its spread as much as possible is commendable. It is the individual and collective responsibility of all of us to ensure that these are implemented in Ramazan. We have to face this critical situation unitedly”.
“In this blessed month of Ramazan, while showing selflessness and compassion, we have to take special care of the needy and identify and discourage the elements involved in profiteering and hoarding. In these blessed hours, we have to pray to God Almighty to bring the whole world out of this ordeal by bestowing His special blessings. May Allah Almighty help the Pakistani nation and grant us success in this hour of trial with patience and perseverance. Amen”.
