Decode Politics: Why J&K’s Ramzan moon-sighting is caught between Pakistan, a new committee

However, the same night, Radio Pakistan, the national public radio broadcaster of Pakistan, had announced the sighting of the moon — and the faithful chose to go by Radio Pakistan’s directive, and started their Ramzan fasts.

Why was Radio Pakistan’s announcement followed in 2023?

It was as per practice.

For decades, the house of the Grand Mufti, including Mufti Nasir’s father Mufti Bashir-ud-din Farooqi, followed the announcements of the Pakistan Ruet-e-Hilal or moon sighting committee to announce their decision on the beginning of Ramzan. The only exception was 2023.

Kashmir’s geographical proximity to Pakistan, as well as both the absence of an independent and technologically equipped moon-sighting committee in J&K as well as the rough weather conditions in Kashmir, meant moon-sighting was left to the Pakistan body.

Over the years, there has been talk of setting up an independent committee for J&K. After Mufti Nazir’s announcement was largely ignored last year, putting him in an awkward position, it was decided that J&K would set up a credible moon-sighting committee and disassociate the practice from Pakistan.

Right after the Ramzan season in 2023, Mufti Nasir announced that such a panel would make the call this year.

What has the committee done so far?

The committee was set up last month. As per Mufti Nasir, 151 representatives, belonging to Jammu, Kashmir as well as Ladakh, were included, with “representation to all schools of thought among the Muslims”. The members included separatist leader and Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

With the committee lacking technological equipment and inputs, it was decided that it would rely on witnesses from different parts of the two Union territories to determine the moon sighting.

The committee was also to take into account the fact that the Shia-majority Ladakh often celebrates festivals a day before Kashmir owing to being located at a higher altitude, as well as its political and religious proximity to Iran, a Shia-majority country.

What are the challenges before the committee?

After the Mufti announced last year that an independent moon sighting committee would be formed, the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board headed by BJP leader Darakhshan Andrabi also announced the setting up of an independent committee with an intention of openly “delinking the practice between Kashmir and Pakistan”.

“Gone are the days of confirming the crescent moon from across the border,” Andrabi had said, adding: “The waqf board will take all the measures to ensure reliable system works for sighting of the moon for Ramadan”.

As Ramzan approaches, Mufti Nasir has distanced himself from Andrabi’s committee, fearing he may lose credibility in the Valley by appearing to pit Kashmir and Pakistan against each other.

“The government has nothing to do with religious matters,” Mufti Nasir told The Indian Express. “It is purely a domain of the Grand Mufti and only he can decide on it. It is an age-old tradition.”

Mirwaiz said: “The whole idea (of having an independent committee) was to bring all schools of thought on board to avoid confusion and give out a clear message of unity… That’s why there are members from different schools of thought in this committee.”

But Monday morning indicated the other kind of challenges the committee could face. It started with the prediction of rain in Kashmir, making any bid to collect reliable evidence regarding the moon-sighting difficult. Hence the expectation that it might now be sighted Monday evening.

At the same time, many in Kashmir will still remain glued to Pakistan radio and television who are also expected to make the announcement on Monday evening.