The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee will meet today in Karachi to see the crescent of the Islamic month of Zil Hajj. Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad, the committee chairman, will chair the meeting. Zonal committees will also meet in various cities, including Islamabad, Lahore, and Peshawar, to assist the central committee in moon-sighting.
Zil Hajj is the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar. It is the month in which the Hajj takes place in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and an obligatory duty for every Muslim who can afford it.
The first ten days of Zil Hajj are believed to be sacred and virtuous in Islam. According to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), no good deeds done on other days are superior to those done on these ten days. Muslims are encouraged to fast, pray, recite Quran, and do charity during these days.
The ninth day of Zil Hajj is known as the Day of Arafat, when pilgrims gather on the plain of Arafat near Mecca and seek forgiveness from Allah. It is also a recommended fasting day for those not performing Hajj.
The 10th day of Zil Hajj is known as Eid al-Adha, or the Commemoration of Sacrifice. It commemorates the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) to sacrifice his son, Ismail, for Allah’s sake. Muslims celebrate this day by offering prayers, slaughtering animals, and distributing meat among the poor. Zil Hajj is a blessed month that offers many opportunities for Muslims to worship Allah and seek His mercy and blessings.