NU East Java Monitors The Hilal At 27 Points

ILLUSTRATION BETWEEN

SURABAYA - The Regional Board of the Nahdlatul Ulama Falakiyah Institution (LFNU) in East Java predicts that the start of Ramadan set by the government and NU will be different. The reason is that there are differences in criteria regarding the height of the hilal between the government and NU.

"If NU holds the opinion that the minimum height of the hilal is two degrees, while the government is at least three degrees. What is clear is that if it doesn't succeed (seeing the hilal), there are still differences," said the chairman of LFNU East Java, Shofiullah or Gus Shofi, Friday, April 1.

According to Gus Shofi, the difference will occur due to weather factors, so that this year's rukyatul hilal monitoring is in the critical and crucial category. LFNU itself will start monitoring the new moon at 27 points spread across East Java today. This is done to ensure the beginning of the month of Ramadan.

Gus Shofi admitted that he had monitored and the height of the hilal had reached a little over two degrees above the horizon. He said the height of the new moon when monitored was very narrow, so it was unlikely that it could be seen. "Therefore, I ask my friends to actually do the rukyatul hilal, whether it is successful or not (seeing the new moon)," he said.

In addition to the question of the height of the hilal, another thing that hinders the monitoring of the hilal is the weather conditions that are predicted to be cloudy. Usually, said Gus Shofi, in April-May the weather is cloudy and drizzling, thus hindering the monitoring of the new moon.

"But usually those who often see the new moon, the location is good in Gresik Condrodipo, Tanjung Kodok (Lamongan), in Tuban, then in Denanyar Jombang," he said.

At these potential points, he said, the LFNU team also had sophisticated binoculars. Because not all of them (the binoculars belonging to LFNU in districts/cities) are sophisticated, there are still some who have makeshift tools. "At the point where there is the potential to see the new moon, all have sophisticated tools, and they are likely to be successful," he said.