Mumbai: To ensure that Muslims can commence observing the holy month of Ramzan without hindrance, the Mumbai Police on Thursday granted permission to the Raza Academy to move around the city in a vehicle and announce the sighting of the moon.
Only after a member of the community sees the moon and informs the religious head of the community does the head declare the beginning of Ramzan. "We received an application from the Raza Academy, seeking permission to move around the city, specifically on Friday.
Since the matter is sensitive and important for the community, we have allowed one vehicle of the academy with two people in it to move anywhere in the city for the announcement," confirmed a high-ranking Mumbai Police officer currently posted in the special branch.
The officer further informed The Free Press Journal that the Raza Academy has been asked to strictly maintain social distancing during this exercise.
Raza Academy general secretary Mohammad Saeed Noori explained the moon-sighting process. He said, "The ritual allows anyone from the community to spot the moon even from their homes.
The sight of the moon then has to inform the religious head of the community, following which the head declares that Ramzan has begun." "So, for this ritual, we sought permission to move around the city until Friday, as moon sighting could be reported from any part of the city," Noori added.
According to Noori, the academy will use two cars, each in compliance with current norms of only two passengers and a driver, to reach places from where calls of lunar sighting will be received. "We will strictly conform to all laws and conditions imposed by Mumbai Police. We will strictly maintain social distancing and observe lockdown rules," Noori said.
