RIYADH – Saudi Arabia has decided to adopt a new system starting from nextyear for Ramazan and Shawwal moon sighting, *Khaleej Times*linkreportedwhile citing a Saudi media organisation.
“As of next Ramazan, the new Clock Tower in Makkah will be an Islamicobservatory for citizens, through which we will be able to spot theRamazan, Shawwal and other months crescents, as it will have a collectionof advanced telescopes,” Yaseen Maliki, supervisor of chair of KingAbdullah Bin Abdul Aziz was quoted as saying in *Al Bayan*.
He added: “It will contribute with global space agencies and will be thefirst observatory of the Islamic world. The tower will be monitoring nextyear both the Ramazan and Shawwal moons, making it the first integratedobservatory launched by Makkah,” he added.
Last month, Pakistan launched its first moon sighting website and alsoformulated a five-year lunar calendar.
Addressing thelaunching ceremony in Lahore on, Federal Minister for Science andTechnology Fawad Chaudhry said that in his opinion Pakistan can do awaywith the traditional moon sighting methods used by the Ruet-e-HilalCommittee to end the moon sighting controversy on all important Islamicfestivals, *Express News*reported.
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“We have launched pakmoonsighting.pk link website…and we have formulated the lunar calendar for five years,” he added.
The former information minister also took to Twitter to announce the launch.
