Article

2019-05-29 India-Pakistan

CII consults religious scholars over moonsighting 'controversy'

[DAWN] The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has reached out to religious scholars for their opinion on whether it is acceptable to follow the Islamic calendar without physical sighting of the moon, officials of CII told DawnNewsTV on Tuesday.

Letters have been sent to Wafaqul Madaris al Arabia, Wafaqul Madaris al Sunnah, Wafaqul Madaris al-Shia and Wafaqul Madaris al-Salfia. Members of the CII will also be consulted on the matter.

The CII will call a meeting after Eidul Fitr to give its ruling on this issue that has sparked a debate between the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee and Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry. The ministry had asked for a ruling within five days but the CII deemed it impossible, saying that most members had gone for Umrah and would not be available in Ramazan.

Eidul Fitr's date will be announced by the Ruet-e-Hilal committee this year.

The moonsighting 'controversy' reared its head earlier this month when Chaudhry formed a committee of five experts from the ministry of science and technology, Meteorological Department and the Pakistain Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) to determine sighting of the moon for key Islamic dates and months scientifically.

The minister took the initiative after the National Assembly was informed that Rs3.06 million had been spent last year on the sighting of the crescent for Muharram, Ramazan, Eidul Fitr and Eidul Azha. He had earlier been critical of the committee, saying that up to Rs4m was spent on the moon-sighting procedures every year and that it was time science and technology was utilised to end the controversy.

Chaudhry had questioned the wisdom of spending large sums of money on moon-sighting every year, saying the Ruet-e-Hilal Committee should do this task on a voluntary basis.

Posted by Fred 2019-05-29 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11135 views ] Top
File under: Govt of Pakistan

#1 Was watching a show last evening on the Antikethera machine. They have finally figured out what it does and how. Attributed to Archimedes, it is a magnificent celestial computer build in about 200 BC, and these bozos can't look out a window?

Posted by AlanC 2019-05-29 07:28|| 2019-05-29 07:28|| Front Page Top

#2 Antikythera mechanism

Posted by Skidmark 2019-05-29 09:59|| 2019-05-29 09:59|| Front Page Top

#3 The most amazing thing to me was that it also charts the precession of the moon's orbit which IIRC is a 9 year cycle for the ellipse.

Posted by AlanC 2019-05-29 15:42|| 2019-05-29 15:42|| Front Page Top

#4 This is why the third world remains a shithole. An existential trap for anyone with the misfortune of being born here.

There have been similar committees in India deliberating on whether to let cow urine be exported to other countries. It's touted as a medicine for everything from cancer to the lamentable proclivity of a woman to produce only female offspring every year.

Posted by Dron66046 2019-05-29 16:25|| 2019-05-29 16:25|| Front Page Top

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