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)