IN Pakistan, even occasions of joy can end up being marred by controversy. Take the celebration of Eidul Fitr, for example. Almost every year, there is disagreement over the start of the month of Ramazan, as well as the sighting of the Shawwal crescent, which marks the beginning of Eid. Without fail, some clerics in different parts of the country end up disagreeing with the decision of the central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee, which results in the celebration of Eid on two different days. There have even been occasions in the past when the nation has witnessed Eid celebrated on three different days. To try and prevent the recurrence of this strange phenomenon, the Supreme Court on Friday summoned the Ruet-i-Hilal Committee’srules and notifications regarding the appearance of the moon. A petition concerning the moon-sighting controversy had been filed with the apex court a number of years ago.

While the SC’s concerns about the matter are valid, resolving this controversy is essentially the job of the ulema. After all, many Pakistanis take decisions about when to celebrate Eid as per the views of the clergy. Unfortunately, as in many other matters, our divines have failed to reach a consensus where moon-sighting is concerned, despite the fact that all major Muslim schools of thought are represented in the central Ruet body. To ensure Eid is celebrated on a single day countrywide — as is the norm in most Muslim countries, where the official Eid announcement is rarely contested — the ulema must work towards building consensus on the issue. Tradition and science must both be employed to arrive at a dependable method of moon-sighting. There might always be mavericks that choose to go their own way, but if religious scholars of repute of all confessions work towards celebrating Eid on the same day and communicate the message to their flocks, it will do much to promote national harmony. Perhaps when this goal is achieved the ulema can work to address other divisive issues.

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2015

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