The announcement of sighting of moon for the holy month of Ramazan at almost midnight has attracted criticism from a large number of faithful as many of them could not offer Taraveeh prayers on Wednesday or the so-called ‘chaand raat’ of Ramazan.

According to media reports, a protracted meeting of Ruet-e-Hilal committee had adjourned to the next day after reaching a decision that the month of Ramazan would begin on Friday, not Thursday, as the committee had received no evidence of moon sighting from any part of the country.

Yet, there came the moon-sighting announcement by it; it was, however, much after the end of Isha’a prayers that were supposed to be followed by Taraveeh prayers in the event of sighting of Ramazan moon.

Someone has made a sardonic comment on Ruet-e-Hilal Committee’s decision by saying that ‘if the judges of higher courts can assemble and open doors of their chambers and courts late into the night then why can’t Ruet-e-Hilal Committee come across moon-sighting evidence at any hour of night’.

Regardless of the controversy over moon sighting that seems to have become an annual but an unfortunate feature, the ambience created by reverence for this month of divine blessings is always unmatched and unparalleled, so to speak. Ramazan Kareem.

Iqbal Ahmed (Karachi)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023