For Ramadan, Pakistan Goes it Alone

Muslims start the month-long daytime fast of Ramadan Friday (Today). But not in Pakistan.

While most of the world’s Muslims look to Saudi Arabia or follow astronomical calculations to determine when the new moon of the ninth lunar month has arrived – marking the start of Ramadan – Pakistan follows the declaration of its own Central Moon Sighting Committee.

Geographical differences mean we are a day behind Saudi Arabia in terms of lunar months, so we are expecting to start on Saturday 21st July 2012.

It is very difficult to spot a new moon, particularly on the 29th day of the month because it appears for a very short time and is a very thin sliver, the best time to spot a new moon is half an hour before sunset.

If naturally we are not able to see it because it’s cloudy then we coordinate with the other committees of other cities who have similar geographic circumstances.

The committee then waits for a Shahadah or Islamic witness who has seen the new moon. The appearance of the witness should be according to Sharia law, which means having a beard and his neighbors should know him as a dependable person as far as being a witness is concerned
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If no credible Islamic witness comes forward, the committee waits until between 80 and 90 other witness statements on sightings are collected by moon sighting committees across the country. Then it declares the start of Ramadan.

If the moon isn’t sighted at all in the last days of the lunar month, the committee waits until the first day of the ninth lunar month – which this year is on Sunday – to declare that Ramadan has begun. It announces the start of the fast via the media, to the government and over loud speakers from mosques.

Zasarul Islam Khan, president of the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, an umbrella body for Muslim organizations, says the timing of Ramadan should always be based on local sightings of the moon.

“Outside the Subcontinent they are following Saudi Arabia, which is technically wrong. The scholars say that you should wait to see the new moon physically before starting Ramadan,” he told India Real Time.
Mosques in the southern Indian state of Kerala go by Saudi Arabian timings because they have close links with the Middle East, according to Mr. Bukhari. Those in the northern state of Jammu and Kashmir go by Pakistan’s declaration as they are more geographically in line with the country, he adds.

The Fiqh Council of North America, which rules on matters of Islamic jurisprudence, says Muslims should follow precise astrological calculations to decide the start of the fast.

In sunlight hours during Ramadan, Muslims refrain from food, water, sex, smoking and oral medicine in order to bring desire under self-control and to focus on prayer and Allah.

This year, the fast coincides with the London Olympics, so Muslim athletes will have to decide whether to observe it and risk a dent in their performance or exempt themselves and carry out the fast once they finish the competition.

Maher Abu Rmeileh, a Palestinian Judo champion who is competing at the Games, told the BBC that he would not be observing Ramadan this year. “Scholars recommended me not to fast and said that I represented my nation not just myself, so once I return from the games I will have to make up for it,” he said.

Such a clash only happens once every 44 years and the International Olympic Committee has said it will look into the possibility of avoiding such a conflict in future, once London 2012 is over.

People exempt from fasting include pregnant women, children who haven’t reached puberty, menstruating women, breast-feeding women, the elderly, travelers and the chronically ill.

Mr. Khan said those who are sick or elderly are allowed to give to charity instead of fasting. If they are determined to observe Ramadan, they should consult their doctor, he added.

Veena- Hosting Ramadan Transmission?

Dispelled it as a joke, blinked out every sms, laughed at my sisters’ insanity, until finally today, I saw Veena’s Ramadan promo on a local channel myself.

Main hoon Veena Malik. Main pooray Ramadan main karoon gi aapke saath, apnay aur aapke gunaahoon ka astaghfar (subdued tone)

Its resonance-more than that of a bomb shell, a shock worse than seeing a zombie walking on streets. Enough of the drama I know. But seriously? I understand, Veena may have a lot to apologize, but a few days back she was screaming out loud that she has done nothing she has an aota of regret on. Then that subdued tone, wet with regret…what was that all about?

I don’t want to go on about Veena’s alleged immorality, about her FHM nude shoot, looking at which she remarks, ‘look at it, isn’t it just beautiful?’, what I’m concerned with is the moral state of us as a nation. I’m sure, with Veena Malik doing a Ramadan transmission; the channel is going to be a hit! What more can a local channel need for ratings, some celebrity that stands as a sheer contrast to a religious idea, and people will be glued to the screen to either enjoy the absolute hilarity, or something I really cant understand.

Thank God, Mallika Sherawat hasn’t been seeing wrapping a chadar around pleading Lord to purge her sins in Ramadan transmission, or isn’t giving an interview on ‘Decency in Films’. But if it’s done, it sure will be the biggest selling point of the show.

I’m amazed. Truly amazed. Why is that each time a person is passed for a hypocrite, a fraud, next day he’s the one Hero people would be wooing for. A few days back, I  wrote a blog that presented one side of the coin, while the other obvious was already much discussed on all forums, we faced a lot of criticism from left, right and center. If you had looked at the comments, you must have noticed the open dislike for the person in question, but wait a second, glance over the rating charts, and the truth out loud would be that Oh this man is an unimaginably popular  television persona!

Isn’t it true that television or in general media makes people see what they want to see, and if rating for Veena Malik’s program go ramping up the hill, why not her then?  My question is, why curse people who you label as  ‘bad guys’ and yet chose to watch them. And if you like to watch them, why curse them then?. If you find Maya Khan or Veena Malik attractive enough to hook to the screens for, own your choice  and kindly don’t curse the poor souls. It’s about time we stop being hypocrites.