Indonesian Government Announce The Day of Eid Al-Fitr on Saturday

Jakarta, MINA – The Indonesian government announcement the day of Eid Al-Fitr or 1 Shawwal 1444 H/2023 M to fall on Saturday, April 22, 2023. This determination is based on the decision of the isbat meeting led by the Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas in Jakarta on Thursday.

“The Isbat meeting unanimously determines that 1 Syawal 1444 H falls on Saturday, April 22 2023,” said the Minister of Religion in a press conference that was held after the 1 Syawal 1444 H Isbat meeting.

According to the Minister of Religion, the court agreed on the decision for two reasons.

“First, we have heard the explanation from the Ministry of Religion’s Rukyat Hisab Team which states that the height of the new moon in all of Indonesia is above the horizon with an altitude between 0 degrees 45 minutes to 2 degrees 21.6 minutes,” said the Minister of Religion.

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“With an elongation angle between 1 degree 28.2 minutes to 3 degrees 5.4 minutes,” he added.

This means that, based on reckoning, the position of the new moon in Indonesia at the first isbat meeting in Shawwal 1444 H did not meet the new criteria set by MABIMS (Ministers of Religion of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore). It is known, in 2016 the Minister of Religion members of MABIMS agreed on new criteria, namely the height of the new moon is 3 degrees and the elongation is 6.4 degrees.

With this position, continued the Minister of Religion, astronomically or reckoning, the new moon is not possible to see. This was later confirmed by the statement from the officials from the Ministry of Religion.

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This year, rukyah was carried out by the Ministry of Religion at 123 points in Indonesia.

“We heard reports from a number of new moon sighters working under oath, from Aceh to Papua. At these 123 points, not a single perukyah could see the new moon,” said the Minister of Religion who was accompanied by Deputy Minister of Religion Zainut Tauhid Sa’adi, Chair of the Commission VIII DPR Ashabul Kahfi, Chairman of MUI KH Abdullah Jaidi, and Director General of Islamic Community Guidance Kamaruddin Amin.

For these two reasons, the Isbat Assembly agreed to istify (perfect) the month of Ramadan to 30 days so that 1 Shawwal 1444 H falls on Saturday, April 22, 2023.

“So, Friday tomorrow Muslims in Indonesia will still observe the fasting of Ramadan, then on Saturday night there will be takbiran to welcome Eid al-Fitr,” explained the Minister of Religion.

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Responding to differences in the initial determination of Syawal in society, the Minister of Religion appealed to all Muslims to maintain ukhuwah Islamiyah.

“I urge all Muslims to maintain tolerance, mutual respect, and ukhuwah Islamiyah in response to differences in the determination of 1 Syawal. Mutual respect for differences in beliefs is beautiful,” said Minister of Religion Yaqut.

“Let’s spread peace on Eid al-Fitr,” he continued.

The Isbat Session 1 Syawal 1444 H was held offline and was attended by representatives of Islamic organizations, representatives of ambassadors from friendly countries, the Ministry of Religion’s Hisab Rukyat Team, as well as officials from Echelon I and II of the Ministry of Religion. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)