The Religious Affairs Ministry will announce on Sunday evening whether the first day of the month of Syawal, which marks the Idul Fitri celebration, will fall on Monday.

The ministry will hold an isbat (confirmation) meeting starting 6 p.m. Jakarta time to announce whether the Ramadan month ends on Sunday.

The meeting will be attended by representatives from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), Islamic organizations, the House of Representatives, partner countries’ ambassadors and related ministries and government institutions.

Muhammadiyah, Indonesia second-largest Muslim organization, has set the date of Idul Fitri for Monday.

Muhammadiyah relies on hisab, or astronomical calculations, to determine Ramadan and Idul Fitri every year, while the government uses a method combining astronomical calculations with an old-fashioned sighting of the moon, called rukyah. The rukyah method is also adopted by Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the country’s largest Islamic group.

The isbat meeting will be preceded by presentations about the position of hilal [crescent moon] from the earth.

For years, Muhammadiyah, had set different dates both for the start of the fasting month and for Idul Fitri.

Saudi Arabia has announced that Idul Fitri will begin on Monday in that country. Fellow Gulf states the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain have also made similar announcements. (dre)

Source:
courtesy of THE JAKARTA POST

by News Desk (The Jakarta Post)

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