Isbat Session to Be Held Tomorrow, Start of Ramadan Fasting Predicted to Differ

Jakarta — The Ministry of Religious Affairs will hold an isbat session to determine the start of the month of Ramadan 1447 Hijriah tomorrow, Tuesday (17 February).

Based on information from the official account of the Directorate General for Islamic Community Guidance of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the isbat session to determine 1 Ramadan is scheduled to coincide with 29 Syaban 1447 Hijriah.

The session will be chaired by Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar and attended by the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, leaders of Commission VIII of the House of Representatives, the Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the Ministry’s Hisab Rukyat Team, representatives of Islamic organisations, and ambassadors from friendly nations.

The session will take place at the H.M. Rasjidi Auditorium, Ministry of Religious Affairs office, Jakarta, commencing at 16:00 Western Indonesian Time (WIB).

Director General of Islamic Community Guidance Abu Rokhmad stated that the government employs an integrated approach of hisab (astronomical calculation) and rukyatul hilal (crescent moon sighting) in determining the start of Hijriah months.

There are three stages in the isbat session proceedings: the presentation of hilal position data based on astronomical calculations, and the verification of rukyatul hilal results from 37 observation points across Indonesia.

“Subsequently, deliberation and decision-making will be announced to the public,” said Abu Rokhmad.

The isbat session is held annually to determine the start of the month of Ramadan in accordance with the Indonesian Ulema Council Fatwa Number 2 of 2004 concerning the Determination of the Start of Ramadan, Syawal, and Zulhijjah.