Fasting month begins on Monday
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Nani Farida, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Banda Aceh
The government has announced that the Ramadhan fasting month will start on Monday.
"After checking the moon and calculating the days, we announce that Ramadhan begins on Monday. We hope that the month will be observed in peace," Minister of Religious Affairs Said Aquil al- Munawar said here on Saturday.
The notice came as people around the country prepare for the holy month.
The two largest Muslim-based organizations, the Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, often set different dates for the start of Ramadhan.
Muhammadiyah earlier announced that the fasting month would begin on Oct. 27, based on a calculation of days, while the NU usually announces Ramadhan only after sighting the new moon.
The minister also said there was a possibility that the fasting month would last for only 29 days, not the usual 30 days.
"However, we will find out about it later when we decide the date of Idul Fitri," he said, referring to the end of Ramadhan.
The announcement was made following a meeting attended by leaders from the NU, the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) and other organizations, as well as representatives from Morocco, Malaysia and Egypt.
The meeting also concluded that lunar and solar eclipses were possible during this fasting month judging from the position of the moon and the sun, Said said.
In war-torn Aceh, locals sacrifice cows, a long-held tradition called meaugang.
"It is our tradition to sacrifice a cow two days before Ramadhan and gather with our family," one Acehnese was quoted by Antara as saying.
The predominantly Muslim province, nicknamed the Veranda of Mecca, has been under martial law since May 19. Aceh is the only province that applies Islamic law.
The government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) have decided there will be no cease-fire during Ramadhan.
This will be the first Ramadhan under martial law, which was imposed to crush the separatist movement in the resource-rich province.
People, especially in Banda Aceh, swarmed traditional markets to buy staple food and other necessities for the beginning of the fasting month.
The Acehnese also like to "purify" themselves in the sea or a river.
To ensure security during the month, the Indonesian Military (TNI) established eight more security posts in Aceh Jaya regency, which was once a GAM stronghold.
Aceh martial administrator Maj. Gen. Endang Suwarya said the extra posts brought the total in the regency to 40.
Elsewhere in the country, especially on Java, people visit relatives' graves prior to Ramadhan.
On the eve of Ramadhan, people will conduct their first dusk Tarawih prayer in local mosques throughout the country.