PESHAWAR: The Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee will hold an unprecedented meeting in Peshawar on April 13 for the sighting of Ramazan moon as it is likely to be joined by the local unofficial Ruet committee headed by Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai for the first time.

Chairman of the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad told a presser here on Wednesday that Mufti Popalzai, who headed the unofficial moon-sighting body at the historic Qasim Ali Khan Mosque, Peshawar, would extend full cooperation to the central one.

He said the Ruet meeting would be held in Peshawar to develop consensus about the start of Ramazan across the country the same day and ensure that no one complains about the sighting of the moon.

Maulana Azad was accompanied by religious scholars of different schools of thought, including former chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology Prof Qibla Ayaz, Maulana Tayyab Qureshi, Prof Hafiz Abdul Ghafoor, Maulana Fazal Jamil Rizvi, Tanzeem Al-Akhwan general secretary Tariq Awan, Allama Abid Shakiri and Allama Fakhr ul Hassan Kararvi,

He claimed that Mufti Popalzai was a patriotic citizen, so he would cooperate with the Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee for the sake of unity and interfaith harmony in the country.

Popalzai-led unofficial committee likely to be part of April 13 meeting

“The committee’s decision about moon sighting will be final in light of the teachings of the Holy Quran and Sunnah,” he said.

He expressed the hope that the meeting would help resolve the complaints of Ulema in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa about the sighting of Ramazan moon.

He said the meeting of the Ruet-i-Hilal Committee in Peshawar would be a ‘positive step in the right direction’ for the simultaneous start of Ramazan in the country.

“Unity, religious harmony and the message of Pakistan is urgent need of the hour, so scholars of all sects in the country are united at one platform and will not allow any conspiracy and tactic of the enemy to create chaos and sectarianism in the country to succeed,” he said.

Maulana Azad, who is also the khateeb of Lahore’s famous Badshahi Mosque, said it was duty of all people to play their respective roles for peace in and uplift of the society.

He said his held meetings with religious scholars of different schools of thought to strengthen religious harmony, unity, and promote tolerance in the country.

“We are fully determined to take all stakeholders, including relevant government departments, on board for consensus on the sighting of Ramazan moon and the subsequent celebration of Eidul Fitr in the country on one day,” he said.

About the observance of Covid-19 standard operating procedures issued by the government, he said mosques and imambargahs played very effective and important role for the implementation of precautionary measures and creating public awareness of protection from the virus.

“We will not allow any conspiracy and tactic of the enemy to succeed. The elements, who want to create chaos and sectarianism in the country at the behest of enemies, will get nothing but failure and disgrace,” he said.

The other participants also appreciated the efforts for creating consensus on the moon sighting issue and promised full cooperation to the central Ruet body.

Dawn contacted Mufti Popalzai but found his mobile phone switched off.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2021