VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian government sets the 1st of Shawwal 1441Hijr to fall on Sunday, May 24, 2020. A press release of the Ministry of Religious Affairs’ Public Relations received by Voice of Indonesia said the decision is based on an isbat (confirmation) deliberation to decide Eid Ul Fitr or 1 Shawwal 1440 Hijr led by Minister of Religious Affairs Fachrul Razi, at the Ministry of Religious Affairs Office in Jakarta, Friday (22 / 05). According to the Minister, in carrying out the isbat session the Ministry of Religious Affairs always uses 2 methods that have been an inseparable part of one another, namely the calculation (hisab) methods and the rukyat method by directly seeing the presence of the new moon. Hilal is the first young crescent that can be seen after the occurrence of conjunctions (ijtima, new moon) in the direction near the sunset which is the reference for the beginning of the moon in the Islamic calendar. This year, rukyah was implemented by the Ministry of Religious Affairs at 80 points in 34 provinces throughout Indonesia. The Minister said that of the 80 points, none of the rukyat (visual observer) team saw the new moon.

In addition, the Ministry of Religious Affairs Falakiyah Team stated that the height of the new moon in Indonesia is below the horizon, which ranges from minus 5.29 to minus 3.96 degrees. For these two reasons, the Isbat Session agreed to complete the month of Ramadan to 30 days so that the 1st of Shawwal 1441Hijr falls on Sunday, May 24, 2020.

"Therefore based on these reasons, namely Hisab, the new moon position is still below the horizon, and then the hilal visual observer report does not see the new moon, therefore the isbat meeting unanimously states that 1 Shawwal 1441 Hijriyah falls on Sunday, May 24, 2020," said Minister of Religious Affairs Fachrul Razi.

Unlike the previous year, the Isbat (confirmation) deliberation to decide Eid Ul Fitr or 1 Shawwal 1440 Hijr was only attended physically by the Minister of Religious Affairs Fachrul Razi, Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Zainut Tauhid Sa'adi, Chairperson of Commission VIII of the House of Representatives Yandri Susanto, Chairperson of the Indonesian Ulema Council KH Abdullah Jaidi, and Director General of Islamic Community Guidance Kamaruddin Amin. While the leaders of mass organizations, astronomers, the Religious Courts, and other Echelon I and II officials of the Ministry of Religious Affairs followed the proceedings of the session through video conference. (VOI / AHM / Rilis Humas Kemenag/ Youtube Kemenag RI)