Govt announces the start of fasting month
Govt announces the start of fasting month
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher announced last night that the first day of Ramadhan, the Moslem fasting month, begins today.
The start of Ramadhan was confirmed both by arithmetical means (hisab) and by the sighting of the new moon (rukyat), Tarmizi said after a joint meeting with experts and ulemas at the TVRI studio.
The result was immediately announced to the populace through a nationwide broadcast by the state-run television station to allow Indonesian Moslems the chance to make the necessary preparations for beginning the month-long period of fasting.
All mosques were filled last night for the taraweh prayers held every night during Ramadhan.
Tarmizi said the calendar issued by the Organization of Islamic Conference also cites Feb. 1 as the beginning of Ramadhan.
Most other countries are also slated to begin the fasting month today. Saudi Arabia began Ramadhan yesterday.
There appeared to be no controversy at all about the start of Ramadhan here this year.
In the past, the controversy has focused more sharply on when the end of Ramadhan should come and whether people should fast 29 or 30 days. Given the current rainy season, there is a likelihood of another controversy this year, specially if thick clouds impede the effort to sight the crescent moon towards the end of Ramadhan.
All of the independent Moslem organizations have given their endorsement to the government decision to declare Feb. 1 as the start of Ramadhan.
The meeting last night was attended by Chairman of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) Hasan Basri, the religion ministry's Secretary-General Zarkowi Suyuti, Chairman of the Indonesian Council of Islamic Propagation (DDII) Anwar Haryono, and representatives from Nahdlatul Ulama, Muhammadiyah, and Persatuan Islam (Persis). Diplomats from a number of predominantly Moslem countries were also invited to take part in the meeting.
Tarmizi said this year it had been the easiest yet to determine the first day of Ramadhan.
This is because all arithmetical calculations pointed to Feb. 1 as the start of the fasting month. Last night's meeting was simply a formality to confirm the findings.
Tarmizi said by 7 p.m. last night, his office had received reports from at least five locations, where the attempt to sight the crescent moon was made. These reports came from Pelabuhan Ratu in West Java, Cakung in Jakarta, Ujung Pangkal in Surabaya, Manado in North Sulawesi, and Buol Toli Toli in Central Sulawesi.
Ahmad Nawawi, an ulema from NU, said at the meeting that he had no doubt about the result of the observation because a branch of his organization had also confirmed the sighting of the crescent.
NU, the largest and most independent Islamic organization, has often taken a different position from the others on when to begin and end Ramadhan.
Representatives from Malaysia and Singapore who attended the meeting said both their countries will also begin the Ramadhan fasting month today.
"I have just received a call informing me that tomorrow is the beginning of the fasting month in Malaysia," Othman Mustafa, a staff member of the Malaysian embassy said.
"Singapore's Moslems will start fasting tomorrow," Md. Yusuf B.H. Zuhri, Director of the Religious Education Unit of the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura, said.
Last night's meeting and Tarmizi's subsequent appearance on television were owed in part to a diligent driver of an ojek, motorcycle taxi, through whose services the minister managed to beat the heavy congestion to reach the TVRI studios.
"I was trapped in the traffic jam on Jl. Thamrin," Tarmizi said, when he explained to puzzled looking people about his arrival on the back of a motorcycle. "I paid Rp 10,000 for the ride," he said, adding that the ojek driver did not realize that he was a minister until they arrived at the TV station. (imn)