Summary The first day of Muharram 1448 Hijri is expected to fall on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.
KARACHI (Web Desk) – The Ruet-e-Hilal Research Council has issued its prediction regarding the sighting of the Muharram-ul-Haram moon in Pakistan.
According to Secretary General Khalid Ijaz Mufti, the new moon will be born on June 15, 2026, at 7:54 am Pakistan Standard Time. However, by sunset on the same day, the age of the moon across all regions of Pakistan will be less than 12 hours, while crescent visibility is generally considered possible only when the moon is at least 18 hours old.
He further explained that the time gap between sunset and moonset is also an important factor in crescent sighting. On June 15, this interval will be 37 minutes in Karachi and 42 minutes in Peshawar. Despite this, the extremely young age of the moon makes its visibility unlikely.
Khalid Ijaz Mufti said that due to the moon’s age being less than 18 hours, the crescent will not be visible on the evening of June 15 even under clear skies, and it would not be observable with the naked eye, binoculars, or telescopes.
The council added that after completing 30 days of Dhul-Hijjah 1447 Hijri, the first day of Muharram 1448 Hijri is expected to fall on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.
However, it clarified that the final and official announcement regarding the beginning of the Islamic New Year will be made by the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee.
