Top scholars end moon sighting controversy id to be celebrated together

Top scholars end moon sighting controversy id to be celebrated together

The division was sparked when the grand mufti announced that the moon was not sighted on March 15 night anywhere in Kashmir and set the date for the first day of Ramzan for March 17.

Top religious scholars of Kashmir held a marathon meeting in Srinagar on Tuesday to end the controversy over moon sighting this year that had split locals into two groups, with one group starting the first day of Ramzan from March 16 and the other from March 17.

The scholars, who met at the residence of grand mufti Nasir-ul-Islam, have decided to set the first day as March 16 so that all significant Islamic religious occasions, including Id, in the month of Ramzan are observed jointly.

“The important occasion of Shab-e-Qadr, night long prayers held in Ramzan, will be observed by all on April 17. It will be followed by moon sightings on April 20 for Id. If the moon is sighted, people (who started Ramzan from March 17) will have to offer one day Qaza (extra day of fasting) after Id,” Mr. Islam said, while suggesting that Id will be celebrated together.

The meeting, attended by Moulana Rahmatullah Qasmi, Ghulam Rasool Hami, Prof. Muhammad Tayib Kamili, Moulana Aga Syed Al Hassan Mousivi, Ghulam Muhammad Bhat, Moulana Fayaz Ahmed Rizivi and Masroor Abbas Ansari, was a bid to put an end to the controversy that resulted in division and anger in Kashmir.

The controversy was sparked when the grand mufti on the night of March 15 announced that the moon was not sighted anywhere in Kashmir and set the date for the first of Ramzan for March 17. However, the Anjuman-e-Sharian Shian, a religious body, and the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, Pakistan, set the date as March 16. This was followed by locals thronging the mosques in defiance of the grand mufti and organising special Ramzan prayers in the night to start fasting from March 16.

The grand mufti was trolled badly on social media platforms and was accused of taking directions from the authorities. “It was unfortunate that I was accused of being an agent. The truth is what I did was based on laid down religious rules. I will not go into whether it was a right or a wrong decision. I am with the sentiments of my people,” the grand mufti said.

Meanwhile, there were a few voices for constituting a separate Ruet-e-Hilal committee in Kashmir to gather witnesses on moon sighting in the future.

The scholars also urged the Lieutenant-Governor’s administration in J&K to release all detained religious scholars and priests in the Kashmir Valley, including chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who remains under house arrest since August 5, 2019.