MOON OR SECTRIAN CONFLICT?!

Once again, as it always happens in Pakistan which is actually a tradition, the Ramadan Moon has been created a matter of concern for the whole nation! The conflict on the moon is predicted already as soon as the holy month of Ramadan is forthcoming! The Muslim clerics, in this regards, shamefully start to criticize one another claiming that they have seen the crescent moon of the Ramadan and give the Fatwa saying that the first fast will be on tomorrow and so on!

The government to avoid this conflict has organized a committee that decides whether the moon has been seen or not! The committee perhaps includes 4 clerics belonging to Baraelvi, 4 clerics belonging to Daeyo Band, 1 cleric from Ehl-e-Tashi and 1 from Ehle-e-Hadith! One cleric of each sect is chosen as a head for 4 years after every 4 years! The decision made by the head is to be obeyed by each sect’s clerics unanimously and they act upon it. Despite this committee, some clerics uselessly split the hairs and take the flying arrow on sectarian basis! They never think that their interference can cause people to leave one or sometimes two of their fasts! Don’t they think that leaving a fast is a great sin?! Aren’t thy afraid of Allah?! Who will be responsible for the loss of people’s fasts?!

A very curious incident recently occurred in Peshawar on Sunday night when a controversial Mufti, Mr. Shahabuddin Popal Zai, the head of the committee for the mosque Qasim Ali Khan immediately called an emergency meeting and announced that the first fast of the Ramadan would be on Monday, 1st of August! He claimed that the Ramadan Moon has been seen in the suburb of Peshawar and other areas whereas 5 men and a woman witnessed for the moon in the mosque. Meanwhile, he claimed that testimonies from Mardan and Mir Ali have also been received! The most amazing and amusing thing is that the moon for the first time has been seen on 28th of Shauban which is unbelievable! Previously the provincial government supported the Mufti but it rejected his claim this time as it is unbelievable to see the moon on 28th of Ramadan!

The matter of concern is why not the Muslim clerics bury their hatchets being united as a whole?! Why not they eradicate or obliterate extremism among themselves?! Fasting is the 3rd important pillar of Islam and the clerics should suggest the Muslims how to spend the Ramadan but unfortunately, they themselves keep fighting uselessly on religious issues! Why so?! I think this issue can be resolved if the Muslim clerics get united and follow just Saudia Arabia! As the Muslims from all over the world completely trust Saudia Arabia regarding religious issues and go to perform Hajj, I want to suggest that all the Muslims should follow Saudia Arabia. They should keep fast and celebrate Eid on the same day with Saudia Arabia and this behavior will surely show the great unity of the Muslims! May Allah Almighty have mercy upon us! Aameen!