New Moon or New Crescent Moon Sighted In Indonesia

Jakarta, 01 Ramadan 1437/06 June 2016 (MINA) – Indonesian Muslims will begin Ramadan fasting on Monday.

Indonesia’s Minister of Religion Lukman Hakim in a statement broadcast on local television stations announced today that the new moon which signals the onset of Ramadan was sighted at a number of districts in the republic.

In accordance with Islam, sighting the crescent at dusk on the evening of the 29th of Shaban (the eighth month of the Islamic lunar calendar known as Hijri) is the only way to determine the beginning of Ramadan.

The Hijri calendar’s months begin when the first crescent of a new moon is sighted.

Indonesia has a population of more than 250 million people, the majority of whom are Muslims, making it the most populous Islamic country in the world.  (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)