ISLAMABAD: The Chairman of the Ruet-e-Hilal committee, Pakistan's moon-sighting body, Maulana Syed Muhammad Abdul Khabir Azad, said on Monday the Rabiul Awwal moon had not been sighted in Pakistan on Monday.
Rabiul Awwal is the third month in the Islamic calendar. The word means "the first [month] or beginning of spring," referring to the month's position in the pre-Islamic Arabian calendar. It is in this month that Muslims celebrate Eid Milad-ul-Nabi, the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
"Eid Milad-ul-Nabi will be on Sunday, October 9, Chairman Rawit-ul-Hilal Committee," state media said.
Mawlid is recognized as a national holiday in most Muslim-majority countries with the exception of Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Some non-Muslim majority countries with large Muslim populations such as India also recognize it as a public holiday.
