Government Sets 1 Ramadan 1444H to Fall on Thursday, March 23 2023

Thepresidentpost.id - The government determines that 1 Ramadan 1444 Hijriah/2023 AD will fall on Thursday, 23 March 2023. This determination is based on the decision of the Isbat (Determination) Session of the Beginning of Ramadan 1444 H led by the Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, at the Office of the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) , Jakarta, Wednesday (22/03/2023).

"Based on the reckoning of the new moon position throughout Indonesia, it is above the horizon and has met the MABIMS criteria as well as the rukyatul hilal report, earlier we agreed in a consensus that 1 Ramadan 1444 Hijri falls on Thursday, March 23 2023 AD," said the Minister of Religion in a press conference after the session confirmation.

The Minister of Religion hopes that with the results of this isbat session, all Muslims in Indonesia can carry out the fasting of Ramadan together.

"Hopefully this will be a symbol reflecting the togetherness of Muslims in Indonesia, this togetherness also hopefully becomes a form of togetherness for all of us as children of the nation to look at a better future for the nation," he said.

The Minister of Religion also hopes that this month of Ramadan will become a momentum to strengthen the togetherness of the Indonesian people.

"We are using the momentum of this Ramadan, together let's make this a momentum to strengthen ukhuwah Islamiyah, ukhuwah wathaniyah , and ukhuwah basyariyah ," he said.

Previously the Minister of Religion said, before setting 1 Ramadan in the isbat meeting, a report was first submitted from the Ministry of Religion's Rukyat Hisab Team.

"It was conveyed that the height of the hilal throughout Indonesia is between 6 degrees 46.2 minutes to 8 degrees 43.2 minutes with an elongation angle of 7.93 degrees to 9.54 degrees," he said.

This position, said Yaqut, met the criteria for the visibility of the new moon or what is known as imkanurrukyah agreed by MABIMS (Minister of Religion of Brunei Darussalam, Minister of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia, Minister of Religion of Malaysia and Minister of Religion of Singapore) as a guideline for determining the beginning of the lunar month.

"At 124 rukyatul hilal points throughout Indonesia, there are several people who have reported seeing the new hilal as reported by the Director of Islamic Religious Affairs and Sharia Development," he added.

The isbat session was attended, among others, by the Chairman of Commission VIII DPR RI, representatives of Islamic organizations, a number of Ambassadors from Friendly Countries, and the Ministry of Religion's Hisab Rukyat Team.