On March 1, 2025, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee of Pakistan announced the sighting of the Ramadan crescent, marking the commencement of the holy month on March 2. Observers noted that the crescent appeared larger than usual, leading to speculations that the first day of fasting might have been inadvertently missed.
Prior to the sighting, the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) had projected that the new moon would be born on February 28, 2025, at 5:45 AM PST. Due to its low altitude and young age of only 12 hours, SUPARCO anticipated that the crescent would be challenging to observe on that evening. Consequently, they expected Ramadan to commence on March 2, following a 30-day month of Sha’ban.
The noticeably larger crescent on March 1 has led some community members to question whether the moon was actually visible a day earlier, potentially indicating that the first fast should have been observed on March 1. This situation has sparked discussions among religious scholars and the public regarding the accuracy of moon sighting methods and the importance of integrating scientific data with traditional practices.
It’s noteworthy that neighboring countries, such as Saudi Arabia, also rely on moon sightings to determine the start of Ramadan. Variations in sighting reports can lead to differences in the commencement of the holy month across the Muslim world.
