Idul Fitri may fall on different dates: MUI

Idul Fitri may fall on different dates: MUI

JAKARTA (JP): The influential Indonesian Council of Ulemas
(MUI) has acknowledged the possibility of Indonesian Moslems
celebrating Idul Fitri on different days, and called on the
government to guarantee peaceful observance.

"Please allow Moslems to observe (Idul Fitri) in accordance
with their conviction. Don't prevent those who wish to observe
Idul Fitri on a day which is different from the one determined by
the government," said chairman Hasan Basri.

He was quoted by Antara as saying yesterday that Moslems have
often celebrated Idul Fitri on different dates. "Which is why
there should not be any incriminations, much less conflict. It's
religiously acceptable if different Moslem groups say their Idul
Fitri prayers on different days," he said.

However, he said it would be better if Indonesian Moslems
followed the government's decision on the matter as it is the
government's role to mediate conflict.

"The government will surely iron out differences through its
Itsbat meeting," he said, referring to a gathering of religious
leaders and astronomical experts to determine the exact date of
Idul Fitri.

Indonesia's second largest Moslem organization Muhammadiyah
has said that according to its calculation, Idul Fitri will fall
on Thursday, Jan. 29, while Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi
Taher said there is a greater possibility the holiday will fall
on Friday, Jan. 30.

However, Tarmizi said the government would determine the day
after the Istbat meeting tomorrow. He also guaranteed there would
be no conflict between Moslem groups celebrating on different
dates.

"Such differences do not mean that Indonesian Moslems are
divided," he said. "Differences in opinion should be seen as a
blessing and Moslems should respect one another."

Antara reported yesterday that the East Java Religious High
Court has established a team in charge of hisab (determining the
holiday through mathematical calculations) and rukyatul hilal
(determining when the fasting month ends and the Syawal Islamic
lunar month begins based on the sighting of the new moon).

The head of the court, Saleh Rasyid, said seven teams had been
prepared to observe the moon at seven posts across the province.
The experts will begin their task tomorrow afternoon.

"Should any member of the public wish to observe the moon,
they are welcome to join the teams," he said, adding that if the
crescent can be sighted tomorrow then Indonesian Moslems can
celebrate Idul Fitri the following day.

"However, if we fail to sight the moon, the government will
have to Istikmal (decide to complete fasting in 30 days rather
than 29 days)," he said. "Therefore, Idul Fitri will fall on Jan.
30."

Saleh called on Moslems who decided to celebrate Idul Fitri on
Thursday to exercise self-restraint and not engage in
demonstrative merriment that would disturb those who chose to
continue fasting.

The same call was made by Rokhim Nur, the chairman of
Muhammadiyah's East Java chapter. The organization has 28 million
followers and members.

"We are confident that all followers of Muhammadiyah will
celebrate Idul Fitri on Jan. 29," he said. "But they should do it
in a modest manner."

In Yogyakarta, a scholar said Monday there was even a
possibility that some Indonesian Moslems would celebrate Idul
Fitri tomorrow.

"There's a possibility that Idul Fitri will be celebrated on
Jan. 28, Jan. 29 and Jan. 30," said Cahyadi Takariawan of the
Institute of Islamic Education and Arabic language after a
special Ramadhan prayer Tarawih at the Syuhada Mosque.

Those who celebrate Idul Fitri tomorrow will likely be
following the Saudi Arabian government who started fasting one
day earlier than Indonesians, he said.

"Because they started one day earlier, they will perform the
rukyatul hilal (today). If they see the new moon today, then Idul
Fitri will fall on Jan. 28. If they do not, Idul Fitri will fall
on Jan. 29," Cahyadi said.

He said quite a number of kyai (Moslem leaders) here often
choose to follow Saudi Arabia in deciding on the date for Idul
Fitri. "There's at least one pesantren (Islamic boarding school)
and a group of people here who take this stance," he said.

Separately, Antara reported yesterday that thousands of people
from Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, had raced for the chance to
sail home to Surabaya, East Java, for free on two warships
provided by the Navy.

The ships are KRI Teluk Sampit 515 and the KRI Teluk Jakarta.

"The passengers need only to pay Rp 6,000 (less than US$1) for
their meals on board the ship," said the captain of RI Teluk
Jakarta Bambang Kusumo. (swe/swa)