Government Shifts Prophet's Birthday Holiday

JAKARTA - The government has changed the red date of the national holiday to commemorate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad SAW. This red date previously fell October 19 and was shifted to October 20.

The changes are contained in the Joint Decree (SKB) of the Minister of Religion, the Minister of Manpower, and the Minister of Empowerment of State Apparatus and Reform, Bureaucracy Numbers 712, 1, and 3 of 2021 concerning the Second Amendment to the Joint Decree of the Minister of Religion, Menaker, Menpan and RB Number 642, 4, and 4 of 2020 concerning National Holidays and Joint Leave.

Director-General of Islamic Community Guidance, Kamaruddin Amin, explained that the government's reason for shifting the holiday was the COVID-19 pandemic. This is an effort to prevent and handle the spread and anticipate the emergence of new clusters of COVID-19.

It is hoped that community mobility will be reduced by the shift of this holiday. "This is an effort to anticipate the emergence of new clusters, so it is deemed necessary to change holidays and joint leave in 2021 AD", said Kamaruddin in a written statement.

Yesterday, Friday, October 8th, we entered the month of Rabiul Awal 1443 Hijri. In this month the Prophet Muhammad was born, exactly 12 Rabiul Awal. This event is also known as the Prophet's Birthday.