Indonesian Moslems start fasting tomorrow<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The start of the Ramadhan fasting month begins
\ntomorrow.<\/p>\n
Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher through decree No.
\n887\/Dec. 29, 1997, announced yesterday that the first day of the
\nRamadhan Moslem fasting month, 1418 Hijr year, would fall on Dec.
\n31.<\/p>\n
The decree was announced following an agreement in an Istbat
\nconference attended by leading Moslem organizations including the
\nIndonesian Council of Ulemas, Nahdlatul Ulama, Muhammadiyah and
\nrepresentatives from other Islamic countries.<\/p>\n
Also present were experts on mathematical calculations and
\nsightings of the new moon, known as hisab and rukyat hilal.<\/p>\n
Antara reported that the agreement was reached after the
\nconference received reports from the Religious High Courts and
\nReligious District Courts throughout the country which have
\ncarried out sightings of the new moon.<\/p>\n
An official at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Samsul Hadi,
\nsaid that various other methods, such as visual sightings of the
\nmoon employed to determine the onset of the Ramadhan month,
\nyielded the same result.<\/p>\n
Samsul said official observation posts in Manado, North
\nSulawesi; Jayapura, Irian Jaya; Ambon, Maluku; Pontianak, West
\nKalimantan; Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan; Pelabuhan Ratu,
\nWest Java and several posts in East Java had failed to sight the
\nnew moon.<\/p>\n
The new month is usually determined by the sighting of the
\nmoon which is due to take place, based on mathematical
\ncalculations, either today or tomorrow. But since no observation
\npost had sighted the moon yesterday it was assumed that the moon
\nwould appear Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The announcement of the start of Ramadhan received full
\nsupport from the major Moslem organizations, including
\nMuhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama, when it was presented to their
\nrepresentatives at the state-owned station TVRI office.<\/p>\n
The same procedure must be performed next month to determine
\nthe end of Ramadhan. (10)<\/p>",
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