Grand Mufti leads committee to assess Ramadan crescent sightings in J-K

SRINAGAR — In a move aimed at ensuring clarity and consensus on the sighting of the upcoming Holy Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr crescent in Jammu and Kashmir, a prominent scholarly committee has been established under the leadership of Grand Mufti Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam Farooqi.

The committee, spearheaded by Mufti Farooqi and comprising notable religious figures including Mirwaiz Kashmir Moulvi Umar Farooq, will evaluate the credibility of witnesses reporting crescent sightings across the region, as confirmed by a communiqué obtained by The Kashmir Pulse.

The decision to form this committee comes in the wake of last year’s reported discrepancies in crescent sightings during Ramadan, aiming to mitigate confusion among the populace. Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam Farooqi clarified that the committee was exclusively constituted by the Muslim Personal Law Board, dismissing rumours of involvement from other quarters.

The committee’s members, spread across various districts of Jammu and Kashmir, will remain in constant communication to swiftly report any crescent sightings to Mufti Farooqi or designated committee members. Once witnesses come forward, the scholars will meticulously assess their reliability before making an official announcement.

A long list of committee members from different regions, including Srinagar, Ganderbal, Bandipora, Baramulla, Kupwara, Budgam, Kulgam, Anantnag, Jammu, Pulwama, Shopian, Samba, Kathua, Ramban, Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi, and Leh/Ladakh, underscores the broad representation and concerted effort to ensure a thorough evaluation process.