Overview
- The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, led by Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, reached its decision after evaluating testimonies, including reports from India, alongside opinions from eminent scholars.
- Pakistan’s space agency SPARCO had projected that the crescent would be visible locally and that the first day of Rajab would fall on December 22.
- Astronomy Centre reported central lunar conjunction at 01:43 GMT and cited minimum naked-eye criteria of 29 minutes above the horizon and 15 hours 33 minutes of lunar age.
- The Centre said sighting on December 20 would not be possible in cities such as Jakarta, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Amman, Jerusalem, Cairo, and Rabat due to the moon setting shortly after sunset, though telescope viewing was possible in parts of Africa and South America.
- Regional practice varied, with many Arab countries already on the second date of Rajab by Sunday evening, and in Pakistan the 27th night (Shab-e-Meraj) will fall on January 16, 2026.