A majority of people observed the first day of Ramzan in Kashmir Valley on Thursday by fasting from dawn to dusk, amid a controversy over the sighting of the new moon.
A confusion prevailed in the Valley on Wednesday night following the announcement made by Kashmir’s grand mufti Nasir-ul-Islam that the new moon was not sighted anywhere in Kashmir. He asked people to observe fasting from Friday.
However, the Anjuman-e-Sharian Shian, a religious body, said it received confirmation of the moon sightings and asked people to fast from Thursday. The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee, Pakistan, too announced the same late in the night.
Hundreds of locals took to the mosques in defiance of the grand mufti and arranged special Ramzan prayers on Thursday night, which is mandatory to start the fasting from the next day.
“I stand by my decision as no credible witness is on record from any territory in J&K [on moon sighting] and as such the holy month of Ramadan here will begin on Friday,” Mr. Islam said.
Embarrassed by the controversy, BJP leader Darakshan Andrabi, who heads the J&K Waqf Board, said J&K would have its own Ruet-e-Hilal committee in the future. “We will put an end to such chaos by next year. It is an era of technology, and everything is available, we will take measures to end such chaos by next Eid,” Ms. Andrabi said.
Meanwhile, hundreds of worshippers attended Valley mosques and shrines and held special prayers for the well-being of the human race. Markets were also buzzing as shoppers flocked to buy eatables, especially dates for ‘Iftar’, the sunset time when Muslims break their fast.
