Idul Fitri greetings: A banner, carrying well-wishes for Idul Fitri, is displayed on a pedestrian bridge on Jl. MH Thamrin in Central Jakarta on Wednesday. Hundreds of similar banners are being displayed across Jakarta in preparation for Idul Fitri, which will be celebrated later this week. (JP/DON)

The Islamic holiday has got into full swing, as Muslims across the country are gearing up to celebrate Idul Fitri at the end of the Ramadhan fasting month.

In Padang, West Sumatra, at least 1,500 members of the Naqsabandiyah sect of Islam will perform Idul Fitri prayers on Thursday, before the majority of the country'€™s Muslims.

'€œWe have set Idul Fitri on Thursday July 16 after completing our Ramadhan fast for a full 30 days,'€ Naqsabandiyah leader Syafri Malin Mudo told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

The Naqsabandiyah sect is well known for setting its Islamic calendar two days ahead of the government, or Muhammadiyah, the country'€™s second-largest Muslim organization.

The sect also started this year'€™s Ramadhan on June 16, two days prior to the government'€™s official date on June 18.

While Muhammadiyah recently announced that Idul Fitri would fall on Friday, the Religious Affairs Ministry is set to determine the first day of Syawal, which marks the coming of Idul Fitri, through isbat, an annual meeting in which representatives of the country'€™s Islamic organizations convene, on Thursday evening.

Meanwhile in Gowa, South Sulawesi, members of the An Nadzir sect of Islam will also hold Idul Fitri prayers on Thursday despite claiming that Ramadhan ends on Wednesday.

'€œThe Syawal month begins on Wednesday at noon, but we will hold Idul Fitri prayers on Thursday because the prayer can only be held in the morning,'€ An Nadzir leader Lukman A. Bhakti said.

Lukman, however, said that by throwing an early Idul Fitri celebration, the sect did not mean to look down on the government'€™s efforts to maintain religious unity.

'€œWe fully respect the government'€™s efforts to maintain unity. However, there is no guarantee that [the government'€™s Idul Fitri date] is the right one. We extend our deepest apology,'€ he said.

In Jakarta, local authorities are also preparing to anticipate the celebration of a takbiran (Idul Fitri eve) parade on the night prior to the holiday.

Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Tito Karnavian said the police would deploy over 6,000 personnel to secure the city for takbiran.

Although Jakarta Police does not prohibit residents from gathering on the city'€™s thoroughfares on the night of takbiran, Tito said they would be ticketed should they violate road regulations, such as not wearing helmets, standing on car roofs, or carrying passengers in pickup trucks.

'€œWe appeal to residents not to hold road convoys. However, if they simply must, we will take measures to keep them in order, including issuing tickets for those who violate road regulations,'€ he said.

Separately, a passenger was killed and 15 others injured when a bus carrying 33 homeward bound travelers from Surakarta, Central Java, to Surabaya, East Java, got involved in an accident in Madiun, East Java, early on Wednesday.

Madiun Police traffic unit head Adj. Comr. Sumiyanto said a preliminary investigation indicated that the accident had taken place when the bus rolled over while attempting to overtake another vehicle.

'€œThe victims were mostly injured and trapped in their seats. They are currently undergoing intensive treatment at the Sudono Hospital in Madiun,'€ Sumiyanto said.

Meanwhile in Bantul regency, Yogyakarta, thousands of homestays are gearing up to welcome homeward bound travelers and visitors who are looking for alternative accommodation over the Idul Fitri celebration.

Bantul Tourism Agency head Bambang Legowo said the regency was home to around 5,000 homestays scattered around 20 tourist villages.

'€œUnlike staying in a hotel, staying in homestay gives you a chance to meet people,'€ said Bambang. (agn)

'€” Indra Harsaputra in Surabaya and Slamet Susanto in Yogyakarta contributed to the article

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