The Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee in Pakistan announced on Friday that the moon of Rajab, the seventh month of the Islamic lunar calendar, has been sighted.
Despite cloudy weather, the crescent was observed during the moon-sighting session in Islamabad. The first day of Rajab 1445 AH will be on Saturday, January 13.
Rajab holds significance for Muslims as it commemorates the miraculous night journey of the Holy Prophet known as Isra and Miraj.
This sacred month precedes the arrival of Ramadan, expected to begin in mid-April this year.
The moon sighting committee collaborated with SUPARCO, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Department of Meteorology for the confirmation process.