Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Ministry of Religious Affairs has declared March 1 as the first day of the holy month of Ramadan, marking the start of the month-long fasting obligation for Muslims."The isbat (confirmation) meeting determined that the first day of Ramadan 1446 Hijri will fall on Saturday," Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar announced at a press conference on Friday.
Explaining the decision, he stated that the hilal (crescent moon) was sighted above the threshold by two sworn observers in Aceh. This year, the ministry deployed observers to 125 observation points nationwide.
The hilal sighting threshold—requiring a minimum height of 3 degrees and a minimum elongation angle of 6.4 degrees—was set in accordance with the consensus of the religious affairs ministers of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore (MABIMS), he said.
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However, Umar noted that Indonesia’s determination of the first day of Ramadan may differ from that of Singapore and Brunei due to varying moon observation results. As Indonesia welcomes the start of Ramadan, he expressed hope that the holy month would bring positive energy and blessings to the nation.
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"Ramadan not only nurtures 'vertical' relations (between humans and God) but also emphasizes compassion for others. A Muslim must not only focus on God but should also care for fellow humans and the environment," Umar said.
The isbat meeting began at 4:30 p.m. Jakarta time with a presentation by experts on the hilal's position based on astronomical data. The event continued with the Maghrib prayer, followed by a closed session to finalize the start of Ramadan. The results were then announced at the press conference.
The meeting was attended by representatives from religious organizations, astronomers, legislators, and ambassadors.
