Eid al-Fitr Falls on Saturday, Gov’t Announces
Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas (Source: a screenshot)
The Indonesian Government has announced that this year’s Eid al-Fitr will fall on Saturday (04/22).
The announcement was made following the decision made during the isbat (confirmation) meeting presided over by Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas at the Office of Ministry of Religious Affairs in Jakarta, Thursday (04/20).
“Based on the hisab (astronomical calculation), the position of hilal (new crescent moon) across Indonesia is over the horizon and does not meet the new criteria of Religious Affairs Ministers of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore (MABIMS). We have agreed at the isbat meeting to determine that Eid al-Fitr (1 Shawwal 1444 Hijri) will fall on Saturday, 22 April 2023,” he said in his press statement after the meeting.
According to Yaqut, Ministry of Religious Affairs’ Hisab Rukyat (lunar movement observation) Team reported that the hilal’s position in all parts of Indonesia was over the horizon, ranging from 0 degree 45 minutes to 2 degrees 21.6 minutes with the elongation angle ranging from 1 degree 28.2 minutes to 3 degrees 5.4 minutes.
The position, Yaqut added, has not met the new criteria for hilal stipulated by the MABIMS of a height of 3 degrees and elongation angle of 6.4 degrees. He also pointed out that with such a position, sighting the hilal was not possible.
“It has also been confirmed by several officers of Ministry of Religious Affairs whom we have stationed in no fewer than 123 locations across Indonesia,” he said.
In response to the differences in determining Eid al-Fitr, Yaqut urged Indonesian Muslims to remain in harmony.
“If Eid al-Fitr is celebrated on different days, we hope we will not focus on the differences but find a common ground instead. We must show tolerance. We must respect and tolerate each other,” he remarked.
Eid al-Fitr is the earlier of the two official holidays celebrated within Islam (the other being Eid al-Adha). Eid is celebrated by Muslims worldwide to mark the end of the month-long dawn-to-sunset fasting of Ramadan. (UN) (DH/EP)
