Govt announces Idul Fitri falls on Friday

Jakarta, NU Online
Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saefuddin on Thursday announced the results of an itsbat (confirmation) meeting that concluded that Idul Fitri 1436 H would fall on Friday.
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In the meeting, which was held at the Religious Affairs Ministry in Jakarta, Lukman said that based on reports obtained from several rukyat, or moon sighting posts, in areas across Indonesia, the hilal, or new moon, could be seen in four areas, namely Bojonegoro, Gresik and Lamongan, all of them in East Java, and in the Thousand Islands in Jakarta.

“As four posts managed to see the appearance of the new moon, all itsbat meeting participants agreed that we entered Syawal 1, 1436 H, on Thursday evening. Therefore, all Muslims in Indonesia will jointly hold Idul Fitri prayers at 7 a.m. tomorrow (Friday) morning,” the minister said as quoted by Antara in Jakarta.

He said that during the itsbat meeting, he had listened to all the opinions of astronomers and astronomical experts from Islamic mass organizations.

As earlier reported, based on the hisab (astronomical or mathematical) calculation method, the hilal would be three degrees above the horizon on Thursday evening. Thus, it was likely that rukyat teams could see the appearance of the new moon.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is scheduled to officially discharge ‘takbiran’ convoys and decorated vehicle parades from in front of the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Banda Aceh, on Thursday evening.

“In line with the schedule, insya Allah [God willing], President Jokowi and First Lady Iriana will attend the Idul Fitri 1436 H takbiran event,” said the head of general affairs bureau at the Aceh regional secretariat, T. Aznal Zahri, in Banda Aceh, on Thursday. (masdar)