Central moon-sighting panel held responsible for Eid controversy

[Dubious]

Central moon-sighting panel held responsible for Eid controversy
Mohammad Ashfaq
Updated June 20, 2018

PESHAWAR: The central Ruet-i-Hilal committee disregarding the screening of moon-sighting testimonies from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa triggered split in the country over observance of Eidul Fitr, according to senior members of the zonal Ruet committee.

They said that moon-sighting controversy surfaced every year at the start and culmination of the holy month of Ramazan since decades due to central Ruet-e-Hilal committee.

The controversy splits Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and tribal areas from rest of the country every year on the sighting of Eid moon and start of Ramazan.

Members of zonal committee say claim of witnesses from KP is never considered.

Members of the official zonal Ruet-i-Hilal committee (moon-sighting panel) based in Peshawar and unofficial local committee held the central Ruet-i-Hilal committee responsible for the division.

They said that chairman of the central moon-sighting committee, Mufti Muneebur Rehman, had never considered the opinion of the people from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata while claiming to have sighted the crescent.

“I don’t know why Mufti Muneeb doesn’t accept their testimony,” said Prof Hafiz Abdul Ghafoor, a member of the official zonal Ruet-i-Hilal committee since 1995.

He said that since the central committee did not pay heed to their testimony, people had stopped coming to the zonal committee with claims of having sighted the moon.

“In the previous many years, there have been several instances of Mufti Muneeb discounting testimonies of the zonal committee established on the basis of local people, who witnessed the moon,” he said.

Prof Ghafoor said that Mufi Muneeb didn’t even wait for local witnesses and went ahead, announcing the decision that moon had not been sighted. “When we receive information of local witnesses with local moon sighting committee, we send our staff to ascertain the claims but the central committee doesn’t wait to hear from us on this,” he said.

Regarding solution to this controversy, he said that central moon-sighting committee should not wind up its meeting so early rather the meeting should be continued till late night.

Prof Ghafoor said that the people, who claimed to have sighted the moon in far off areas, took time to reach Peshawar city for presenting before the committee.

This year, the official zonal committee sent its two members to the historic Masjid Qasim Ali Khan, where the local moon-sighting committee was sitting, to observe the testimonies there.

“We were asked to inform the official central moon-sighting committee about the sighting of the moon if it received people having sighted the crescent,” one of the two members told Dawn.

He said that the local committee was busy in testimonies when Mufti Muneeb made announcement on television of not sighting the moon. The announcement surprised everyone present on the occasion, he said, adding later on the local committee announced the moon sighting that led to celebration of Eid in KP and Fata.

The chairman of the unofficial local moon-sighting committee, Mufti Shahabuddin Pupalzai, told Dawn that he and other religious scholars made all efforts to end the controversy forever but in vain.

He said that in past, the dialogue on the issue had taken place at different forums including district level, National Assembly and Senate but the central Ruet-i-Hilal committee was not cooperating.

“The central moon sighting committee has no Sharai and legal justification to have differences with us on this issue,” he said.

The chairman of central Ruet-i-Hilal committee, Mufti Muneebur Rehman was not available for comments.

The moon-sighting controversy was witnessed this year when Eid was celebrated in most parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata a day ahead of the rest of the country.

The celebration of two Eids in Pakistan leads to an eruption of social media opinion, with everyone pitching his or her ideas, further dividing the nation on the subject.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2018

https://www.dawn.com/news/1414881


This is what happens when you have jahil log at high positions! Considering KPK is part of Pakistan so is FATA....Their testimony is part of Pakistan's moon sighting!

Does this Muneeb guy not know he is responsible for each Pakistani who keeps a haram roza on Eid!

 

[BRAVO_]

its a routine business in pakistan ... and people are use to it

 

[Dubious]

its a routine business in pakistan ... and people are use to it

Just because someone is used to it doesnt make it good! It should be rectified if anything good is to come!

 

[IceCold]

Whether Mufti was right or wrong, we can all debate on that but he as a person and head of committee has become too controversial and hence should be removed.
I wonder why is he still the head and not fired?

 

[Max]

Another fitnah, people know who are sectarian and racists. who say Punjabi to roza hi nahi rakhte un ka ramzan se kya lena dena.. you all must have heard this from people of specific community..

I am okay with Mufti Muneeb who is accompanied by people of Suparco, Met dept, Navy along with ulema of all sects. i am sure even if Mufti Muneeb is racists rest in central committee are not who unanimously support Mufti sb in every decision..

 

[Dubious]

you all must have heard this from people of specific community..

Nope I have not...I suggest you keep away from that certain group of people and not overshadow your experience to their whole community!

I am okay with Mufti Muneeb who is accompanied by people of Suparco, Met dept, Navy along with ulema of all sects. i am sure even if Mufti Muneeb is racists rest in central committee are not who unanimously support Mufti sb in every decision..

How does the central committee not include KPK? They are part of Pakistan! How does it not include FATA? They are part of Pakistan...We are crying about Kashmir (what we DONT have) but not caring about what we DO have due to sheer difference of province?

chairman of the central moon-sighting committee, Mufti Muneebur Rehman, had never considered the opinion of the people from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata

Why doesnt Muneeb go seek the moon in KPK and then tell us if he cant see it! Or better yet get his eyes checked! People on either side of us saw the moon (Indonesia to our EAST and Saudi to our West!!) THAT alone is scream to unite already!

And read this...Muneed does have an ego problem:

in past, the dialogue on the issue had taken place at different forums including district level, National Assembly and Senate but the central Ruet-i-Hilal committee was not cooperating.

Mufi Muneeb didn’t even wait for local witnesses and went ahead, announcing the decision that moon had not been sighted.

“The central moon sighting committee has no Sharai and legal justification to have differences with us on this issue,” he said.

 

[Baghial]

its a routine business in pakistan ... and people are use to it

how did we ever agree on national anthem?.......

seems the only thing left untouched by LAZARIOUS

 

[BRAVO_]

we grew up watching every year issue of moon siting between Rouet e hilal committee and Masjid Qasim Khan.. If one takes out the time to understand this moon business they will learn that modern scientific tools can help us resolve the issue which is not an issue at all.

 

[Mahmood-ur-Rehman]

When the central Ruet-i-Hilal committee is there then who has given the authority to Popalzi to announce the moon just to divide the nation he is the culprit he has some hidden design should be interrogated and banned to continue activities .Mufti Monib is a balance personality and he has no sectarian design as Popalzi has

 

[H!TchHiker]

There was no Moon sighted even in India and Bangladesh ...i wonder what happened there...

 

[Hyde]

Question: When did Afghanistan celebrate Eid? Thursday or Friday?

I believe it was on Friday? So did Pakistan

So how comes if two neighbouring countries announced Eid on Friday and a tiny piece of land in between both countries celebrated earlier? The point is... The moon was sighted in Pakistan on thursday night... So it rules out the possibility of Eid on Thursday anyway

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

I have a technical question

If Earth is one planet ,we agree we live on and this planet has exactly one moon we also agree on it.
We also agree that it is the same moon the inhabitant of planet see on Horizon

The moon completes it's monthly cycles on same schedule , so why is it that on part of earth reports a sighting of moon and other part of earth claims it can't see the moon

From a Logical stand point it does not makes sense

 

[Max]

Nope I have not...I suggest you keep away from that certain group of people and not overshadow your experience to their whole community!

look for related posts on social media, you will locate them easily..

Rest i dont want to take part in this useless discussion. i trust Mufti Muneeb, Central committee, Suparco, Met dept and other officials. i reject illegal fitnahbaz. Even Hazara, Swat, Chitral etc of KPK dont accept the verdict of illegal Popalzai.

 

[RealNapster]

When the central Ruet-i-Hilal committee is there then who has given the authority to Popalzi to announce the moon just to divide the nation he is the culprit he has some hidden design should be interrogated and banned to continue activities .Mufti Monib is a balance personality and he has no sectarian design as Popalzi has

Its the zonal ruet-i-hilal committee (not Masjid Qasim ali khan) criticising central ruet-i-hilal committee for not cooperating and announcing decision before even consulting them.

 

[Dubious]

Its the zonal ruet-i-hilal committee (not Masjid Qasim ali khan) criticising central ruet-i-hilal committee for not cooperating and announcing decision before even consulting them.

I dont think he understands English...All he read is Muneeb being questioned for being impartial! Typical attitude of people who dont have the ability to question humans nor hold them responsible for their actions!

I have a technical question

If Earth is one planet ,we agree we live on and this planet has exactly one moon we also agree on it.
We also agree that it is the same moon the inhabitant of planet see on Horizon

The moon completes it's monthly cycles on same schedule , so why is it that on part of earth reports a sighting of moon and other part of earth claims it can't see the moon

From a Logical stand point it does not makes sense

Well, 1400 yrs ago, people couldnt communicate with each other nor discuss who have seen the moon in lesser cloudy areas of another continent....So committees sought the moon individually.

Now 1400 yrs later, we can communicate but some barbarians illogically refuse to progress!

Just like how people used to walk around the world, during the Prophet's time he actually rode a camel many times because it was available....but common sense isnt very common ...People feel challenged if their human god is questioned! It is really lack of basic understanding and logical thinking!

how did we ever agree on national anthem?.......

seems the only thing left untouched by LAZARIOUS

Or our national flag, national language for that matter! It seems like Molvi are incapable of agreeing to anything that differs from their limited knowledge! Many have never even gone out of their own city/ district and still manage to brainwash people...Not until people can be educated - no not the current education system that produces "yes boss style factory workers" but people who actually can think and analyze, these debates will continue!

When the central Ruet-i-Hilal committee is there then who has given the authority to Popalzi to announce the moon just to divide the nation he is the culprit he has some hidden design should be interrogated and banned to continue activities .Mufti Monib is a balance personality and he has no sectarian design as Popalzi has

The central committee should include every province's witness! After all Pakistan isnt made of 1 city!

It is valid that everyone wants to be a part of the sighting. I dont think a balanced personality would ignore a whole province! Were he balanced, he would go to KPK to prove them wrong and show them why he ignores their witness every single year!

An actual "leader" would actually address the differences and sit down and talk about it not show their ego rare:

in past, the dialogue on the issue had taken place at different forums including district level, National Assembly and Senate but the central Ruet-i-Hilal committee was not cooperating.

What do they have to hide? Why not cooperate for the sake of unity?

It is incredibly embarassing that within 1 country they refuse to unite....How dare these people claim unity elsewhere with the UMMAH?

Moon sighting remains a conundrum for scholars
By Sehrish Wasif
Published: May 16, 2018

PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE

ISLAMABAD: The responsibility and authority of moon sighting for the month of Ramazan and Eid-ul-Fitr remains to be a conundrum for the Pakistan Meteorological department (PMD), Ruet-e-Hilal Committee and Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO)

According to reliable sources, SUPARCO made an attempt to hold a press conference some two years ago about announcement of Ramazan moon sighting. However, the commission was asked to cancel the conference at the eleventh hour and allow Ruet-e-Hilal committee to officially announce it.

Every year just a few weeks ahead of Ramazan or Eid-ul-Fitr, members of the committee strictly ask the officials of the PMD to avoid sharing information about moon sighting with the media, said the sources.

An official in the PMD requesting anonymity said that every year PMD receives a letter from the Ruet-e-Hilal committee asking them not to share moon sighting news with the media before the Ruet-e-Hilal committee officially announces it.

Every year people in K-P start Ramazan or celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr just a day before the rest of Pakistan observes it.

Last year, the government had forcibly sent Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai of Peshawar-based Masjid Qasim abroad just ahead of the Eidul Fitr in a bid to end the moon-sighting controversy. However, the government failed to stop the people in K-P from celebrating Eid-ul-fitr on the same day with the rest of Pakistan.

Later, a senior member of Masjid Qasim Ali Khan’s moon-sighting committee Mulana Khairul Bashar in a video clip shared on social media condemned this act of the government and claimed that the central body had no legal status and it was unconstitutional.

The head of the Senate standing committee on religious affairs in 2016 said, “Millions of people look up to the committee, especially during Ramazan, but the committee, set up via a resolution of parliament, is without a legal and constitutional status.”

Moreover, a senior official of Ministry of Religious Affairs told The Express that the Ruet-e-Hilal committee in 1974 was constituted through a resolution passed in the National Assembly. “However, so far no actual legislation or rules have been framed for it since it was established,” he added.

Prices of essentials soar ahead of Ramazan

In December 2017, the federal government forwarded the draft of Ruet-e-Hilal Bill 2017 which seeks the reconstitution of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee and suggests a one-year imprisonment, a Rs200,000 fine, or both, for anyone who would announce moon sighting before the official announcement made by the Ruet-e-Hilal committee.

The draft of bill is still pending with a parliamentary committee. This bill was drafted after an incident took place in 2016 in which the head of the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee lost his temper prior to a press conference when some TV channel announced Ramazan moon sighting news before his official announcement.

Islamic Ideology Council (CII) chairman Dr Qibla Ayaz while talking to the Express Tribune suggested that the Ruet-e-Hilal committee should not confine moon sighting to Pakistan but in the entire South Asian country.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/1711154/1-moon-sighting-remains-conundrum-scholars/

Sorry but this behaviour looks nothing short of Mafia system!

• Sending someone abroad so the head will be only one to"announce"

the government had forcibly sent Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai of Peshawar-based Masjid Qasim abroad just ahead of the Eidul Fitr

• Msging PMD and telling them to not announce what they see?

every year PMD receives a letter from the Ruet-e-Hilal committee asking them not to share moon sighting news with the media before the Ruet-e-Hilal committee officially announces it.

• Inturrupting SUPARCO's announcement because some Mafia head wants to be the one to announce? Sounds childish!

the commission was asked to cancel the conference at the eleventh hour and allow Ruet-e-Hilal committee to officially announce it.

• Trying to play with the laws wen they have no right?

one-year imprisonment, a Rs200,000 fine, or both, for anyone who would announce moon sighting before the official announcement made by the Ruet-e-Hilal committee.

• Just coz he wasnt first to announce?

the head of the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee lost his temper

All this shows a very childish mentality! Not only do they not want to sit down and resolve an issue, they want to make sure they are the prime Mafia even though they have no rights?! Zabardasti important bannay ki koshish?

They have no constitutional rights to demand people to dance with their music!