Ramadhan fasting month begins

Ramadhan fasting month begins

JAKARTA (JP): Millions of Indonesian Moslems begin fasting
today.

Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher announced in a
televised speech last night that the first day of the Ramadhan
Moslem fasting month, 1417 Hijr year, coincides with Friday, Jan.
10, 1997.

"This is the month when Moslems should purify themselves, get
closer to the Beneficent, and cleanse themselves. This is the
month...when Moslems should refresh themselves, renew their
commitment to the path," he said.

"In the increasingly harsh world, and amid shallowing
relations between people, this month is the best of time for
Moslems to be introspective," he said further.

"We have experienced some difficult tests, all the more so
because human victims fell," he said. He was apparently referring
to the religious violence that has claimed lives over the past
several months.

Earlier on, an official at the Ministry of Religious Affairs,
Zainal Abidin Abubakar, announced that the methods employed to
determine the onset of the new month -- mathematical calculations
and sightings of the new moon, known as hisab and rukyat hilal
respectively-- yielded the same result.

The Arabic calendar year is based on lunar movement. While it
can be calculated, the start of each month must await the
sighting of the new moon.

It was announced yesterday that the official observation post
in Pelabuhan Ratu, Sukabumi, West Java, and a number of
individuals had sighted the new moon.

The announcement of the start of Ramadhan got full support
from the main Moslem organizations, including Muhammadiyah and
Nahdlatul Ulama, when it was presented to their representatives
at a meeting at the state-owned station TVRI office.

The same procedure must be performed next month to determine
the end of Ramadhan. (03)