Muslim organizations split on sacrifice day

Muslim organizations split on sacrifice day

JAKARTA (JP): Muslims will celebrate Idul Adha (the Islamic
day of sacrifice) on two separate days as the country's two
leading Islamic organizations have decided upon different dates
for the holiday.

Nahdlatul Ulama, the largest Muslim organization with 35
million followers, announced on Saturday that the start of
Dzulhijjah month in the Islamic calendar this year fell on March
8 and, therefore, Idul Ahda would fall on Friday, April 17, 2000.

The two dates are based on reports by the NU's rukyatul team,
which looks out for the moon's appearance from Pelabuhan Ratu
beach in West Java, Semarang beach in Central Java and the East
Java town of Gresik, NU said in a press statement signed by
chairman Hasyim Muzadi.

"The team did not see the moon, so based on law the previous
month lasted 30 days, one day longer than expected," Hasyim said.

On the same day, Muhammadiyah, the second largest Muslim
organization, announced that the sacrifice day would fall on
Thursday, April 16, the date in the 2000 official calendar,
arguing the Dzulhijjah month began on March 6.

The national date for the holiday will be announced after a
joint meeting on Tuesday.

NU's deputy secretary general Masdluki Baidlawi said he
welcomed the difference and believed that President Abdurrahman
Wahid, despite the fact that he is a former NU chairman, would
take the same stance.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) entrusted the
celebration of the holiday to Muslim people's beliefs. (emf/rms)