The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee is meeting in Lahore this evening for the sighting of the crescent of Muharram-ul-Haram 1448 Hijri. Chairman Moulana Abdul Khabir Azad is presiding over the meeting.
But astronomers have already given us their answer: the moon will almost certainly not be visible tonight.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department has said there are no chances of sighting the Muharram moon on June 15 because of insufficient time between moon birth and sunset. The moon was born at 7:54 AM today — but at sunset, its age will be less than 12 hours. For crescent visibility, the moon’s age generally needs to exceed 18 hours.
Why the Moon Cannot Be Seen Tonight
The Ruet-e-Hilal Research Council Secretary General Khalid Ijaz Mufti explained the science. The interval between sunset and moonset on the evening of June 15 is extremely limited — 37 minutes in Karachi and 42 minutes in Peshawar.
Due to the young age of the moon, even telescopes and binoculars will not help. The crescent is physically too young and too faint to be sighted by any method — naked eye, binoculars, or telescope — anywhere in Pakistan this evening.
When Does Muharram Start?
After the completion of 30 days of Dhul-Hijjah 1447 AH, the 1st Muharram-ul-Haram 1448 AH is expected to begin on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. However, the final Sharia announcement will be made by the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee tonight.
ARY News’ Muharram coverage and Geo News both confirmed the meeting details and the expectation that 30 Dhul-Hijjah will be completed before the crescent becomes visible.
When Is Ashura 2026?
Based on the projected calendar:
- 9 Muharram (Tasu’a): Wednesday, June 25, 2026
- 10 Muharram (Ashura): Thursday, June 26, 2026
Muharram is one of the four sacred months in Islam. Ashura marks the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) in the battle of Karbala. During Muharram, processions and majalis are held across Pakistan, with religious scholars addressing large gatherings.
Key Dates for Muharram 2026
| Event | Expected Date |
|---|---|
| Muharram Moon Meeting | Today, June 15 (evening) |
| 1 Muharram 1448 AH | Wednesday, June 17, 2026 |
| 9 Muharram (Tasu’a) | Wednesday, June 25, 2026 |
| 10 Muharram (Ashura) | Thursday, June 26, 2026 |
All dates subject to official Ruet-e-Hilal Committee announcement tonight.
The official announcement is expected this evening. 24PakTimes will update this article immediately when the Committee issues its formal decision.
