Government declares Idul Fitri to fall Jan. 8

Government declares Idul Fitri to fall Jan. 8

JAKARTA (JP): The government announced on Thursday evening
that Idul Fitri would fall on Saturday, but two small
organizations in Semarang and Surabaya decided to celebrate the
post-fasting month holiday one day earlier.

The government's announcement was made after a meeting of
Minister of Religious Affairs Tolchah Hasan and religious experts
and leaders from various Muslim groups. The meeting was called
after the minister received reports from religious groups
throughout the country on the sighting of the moon.

Representatives from Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Muhammdiyah, the
Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) and other influential
organizations like Persis, Al-Irsyad, Dewan Dakwah Islamiyah
Indonesia and Tarbiyah attended the meeting, which is called
Isbat.

Muslims should fast from dawn to dusk for a full period of 30
days during the Ramadhan fasting month.

Many residents in Semarang, the capital of Central Java, are
set to celebrate Idul Fitri on Friday following an announcement
issued by the Al-Misykah Islamic Teaching Institute. It said a
global ru'yat virtual observation in the Middle East concluded
that Idul Fitri in the year 1420 Hijriah would fall on Friday.

"The announcement is also an invitation for people to attend
the Idul Fitri morning prayer (Ied) in the parking lot of Raden
Saleh Cultural Park," Abdullah, the institute director, said on
Thursday.

Abdullah said some residents of Jepara, Surakarta, Kudus and
Yogyakarta would also celebrate Idul Fitri on Friday.

Jamaah Muslim Al Ihtikam organization in Surabaya, East Java,
also declared Idul Fitri would fall on Friday. Some 1,000 members
of the organization, mostly students, will hold a mass prayer at
KONI field in the Darmahusada area.

The Central Java chairman of MUI, Ahmad Daroji, said the two
groups' used inaccurate calculations. He urged people to follow
the government's decision on the matter.

Meanwhile, the spokesman of Central Java's religious affairs
minister office, Mukhtar Hadi, said the government would not
meddle in how people chose to practice their faith.

"If there are residents who believe that Idul Fitri falls on
Friday, so be it." He added that the government served only as a
facilitator in religious matters. (har/edt/nur/prb)