‘Namaz Should Not Be Offered On Streets’: Lucknow Eidgah Imam’s Appeal To People For Ramazan 2026

Lucknow: President of the Markazi Chand Committee, Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahli, who is also the Shahi Imam of Lucknow, on Wednesday announced that the crescent moon for the month of “Ramzan” had been sighted and that the first Roza (fast) would be observed on Thursday.

Ahead of the first Roza, the Lucknow Eidgah Imam, Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali, appealed to believers to offer namaz only inside mosques and not on the streets.

"It has been announced by the Moon Committee that the moon has been sighted in different parts of the country today... Based on this, it is announced that tomorrow, February 19, 2026, will be the first Roza... Namaz should be offered only inside mosques. Namaz should not be offered on the streets. I appeal to everyone to offer Namaz inside the mosque only," he said, as quoted by news agency ANI.

Meanwhile, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee of Sadar Majlis-e-Ulama-e-Deccan, also known as the Moon Sighting Committee in Hyderabad, the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee on Wednesday announced the first day of Ramzan 2026 in India. As the crescent moon has been sighted today, the first roza (fasting) will be observed on Thursday, 19 February.