Press Release
Shawwal Moon-Sighting Controversy:
Bajwa-Nawaz Regime Misguides Muslims over Eid because it is Founded on Misguidance

Along with many regions in the Muslim World, throughout the north of Pakistan, just witnesses saw the moon of Shawwal, yet the regime responded with scorn and deployed heavy handed tactics to intimidate Ulema who were verifying the dozens of local witness. The regime’s Minister of State for Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony, Pir Muhammad Amin-ul-Hasnat Shah, claimed that, “There is a certain group which has made it an ego issue.” In reality it is the regime that has made it an ego issue, because it does not implement Islam as a state and constitution, which is evident to everyone.

If the Muslims had been blessed with rulers that cared for Islam as is its right, the example of RasulAllah (saaw) would have settled the dispute and ended any controversy. RasulAllah (saaw) established that the new moon sighting of the Muslims in any region is binding upon the Muslims of the other regions, for the Muslims are one and their regions are one. It was related from a group from the Ansar:

«غُمَّ عَلَيْنَا هِلَالُ شَوَّالٍ، فَأَصْبَحْنَا صِيَامًا، فَجَاءَ رَكْبٌ مِنْ آخِرِ النَّهَارِ، فَشَهِدُوا عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، أَنَّهُمْ رَأَوْا الْهِلَالَ بِالْأَمْسِ، فَأَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ يُفْطِرُوا مِنْ يَوْمِهِمْ، وَأَنْ يَخْرُجُوا لِعِيدِهِمْ مِنَ الْغَدِ»

“The new moon of Shawwal was clouded over (obscured) for us and so we arose in the morning fasting. Then riders came at the end of the day and testified before the Prophet (saw) that they had seen the new moon yesterday. And so the Messenger of Allah (saaw) commanded them to break their fast and to set out for Eid the following morning.” (Ahmad). Therefore, the Messenger of Allah (saw) found the testimony of those Muslims, who had come to Al-Madinah from another region, sufficient to command the breaking of the obligatory Fast.

Thus rulers that care for Islam as is its right would have ordered Muslims to break their fast and set out for Eid on Sunday morning. Instead, the Bajwa-Nawaz regime was stubborn on misguidance and insisted that it will sight the moon “officially” on Sunday evening! Hizb ut Tahrir Wilayah Pakistan assures the regime that it is alone in its folly and even more eyes are now open to its criminal neglect of Islam. And it reminds the Muslims of Pakistan, the Pure, the Good, that rulers that care for Islam will not fall from the skies, but will be the result of their hard and dedicated work for the re-establishment of the Khilafah (Caliphate) on the Method of the Prophethood. Only upon the re-establishment of the Khilafah will the Muslims rejoice truly on the occasion of Eid and every day of their lives, for they will be living under a state whose every law is to please Allah (swt).

[وَيَوْمَئِذٍ يَفْرَحُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ * بِنَصْرِ اللَّهِ يَنْصُرُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الرَّحِيمُ]

“That day the believers will rejoice, in the victory of Allah. He gives victory to whom He wills. He is the Mighty, the Merciful.” [Al-Rum: 4-5]

Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Wilayah Pakistan