Ministry of Religious Affairs: 1 Syawal 1447 H Crescent Not Visible in West Java

Bandung (ANTARA) - The West Java Provincial Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs stated that the crescent moon for determining 1 Syawal 1447 Hijriah was not visible in West Java during the rukyatul hilal process conducted on Thursday.

The Head of the West Java Ministry of Religious Affairs Office, Dudu Rohman, said that the observation results from seven points in West Java indicated that the crescent moon could not yet be observed.

“The results of the crescent moon sighting in West Java from seven points show that the crescent was not visible. As mentioned, the elevation of the crescent is still far from 1 degree,” Dudu said in Bandung on Thursday.

He explained that the invisibility of the crescent was caused by two main factors, namely cloudy weather conditions and the crescent’s position not yet meeting visibility criteria.

“The reason the crescent was not visible is due to cloudy weather factors, as well as the elevation of the crescent not yet meeting the requirements,” he said.

Dudu mentioned that the crescent observations were conducted at several points, including Sukabumi, Tasikmalaya, Subang, Cirebon, Banjar, as well as the Bosscha Observatory and the Albiruni Observatory at Unisba.

He added that the isbat session for determining 1 Syawal 1447 Hijriah will be held by the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs in the evening in Jakarta.

In addition, Dudu called on all communities to respect differences in the determination of the start of Syawal by respective religious organisations.

“We urge all parties to continue maintaining unity, prioritising good morals, and not blaming each other in responding to differences,” he said.

He emphasised that the results of the rukyatul hilal from West Java will be part of the national report used by the government in determining the start of Eid al-Fitr 1447 Hijriah.