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Idul Fitri falls on Wednesday, government says
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The Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifudin (fourth left) sits between the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) chairman Ma'ruf Amin (second left) and the House of Representatives Commission VIII overseeing social and religious affairs chairman Ali Taher in a press conference after the isbat (confirmation) meeting to decide on the end of Ramadhan in Jakarta on July 4, 2016. (thejakartapost.com/Erika Anindita)
T
he government announced on Monday that the Muslim fasting month of Ramadhan will end on Tuesday, a decision that received the endorsement of all the major Islamic organisations in the country.
This means that most Indonesians will celebrate Idul Fitri, including holding the morning prayers in the field, simultaneously on Wednesday. In the past, Indonesians were often divided on when the Ramadhan ends, depending on which organisations they follow.
"Ramadhan will be rounded to 30 days, this means on Tuesday we will still be fasting," Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin told a press conference after presiding a meeting with representatives of the major Muslim organisations at his office.
The Islamic year follows the lunar movement, and each of the 12 months lasts either 29 or 30 days. "We conclude that the first day of Syawal month falls on Wednesday," he said.
The end of the month can be calculated beforehand by astronomy but some organisations insist on a physical sighting of the end of the moon before deciding the end of the month. In the past, this had lead to Muhammadiyah, the second largest Muslim social organisations, to hold Idul Fitri a day later or earlier than the one decided by the government.
Muhammadiyah has already announced last week that Idul Fitri this year falls on Wednesday, based on their astronomy calculations.
Lukman said observation teams deployed in many parts of the country did not see the tail of the outgoing moon, meaning that Ramadhan must be completed to 30 days.
The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) chairman Ma'ruf Amin, who was present during the press conference and participated in the meeting, said Idul Fitri was the momentum to strengthen Islamic brotherhood.
"In strategic matters, we should be united. That's why we need to unite our thinking, our statements, our actions," he said.
At least two smaller Islamic sects are marking Idul Fitri earlier. Naqsabandiyah, a sect based in West Sumatra, already celebrated Idul Fitri on Monday. An Nadzir, in Sulawesi, is marking Idul Fitri on Tuesday. (ags)
