[BREAKING NEWS] Government Sets Beginning Of Ramadan Tuesday 12 March

Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas (Photo: Screenshot)

JAKARTA - The government through the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) has set the first day of fasting or the beginning of Ramadan 1445 Hijri falls on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Coumas said this decision was taken after reports of 134 points in various parts of Indonesia that witnessed the hilal. "The trial on consensus stipulates that 1 Ramadan 1445 Hijri falls on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 AD," Yaqut said in a press conference broadcast on the Indonesian Ministry of Religion's Youtube, Sunday, March 10. Thus, the public can start performing the first tarawih prayer this year on Monday, March 11 evening. The initial time of Ramadan was set and had a one-day difference with Muhammadiyah, who first started Ramadan on March 11. Yaqut explained, based on the team's observations, the height of the hilal throughout Indonesia was in the position of -0 degrees 20.2 minutes to 0 degrees 52.09 minutes. Then, the angle of the elongation was 2 degrees 14.78 minutes to 2 degrees 41.84 minutes. Meanwhile, based on the new criteria agreed by the Minister of Religion of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore (MABIMS), at the beginning of the month Ramadan entered if the position of hilal at sunset was 3 degrees and the elongation was 6.4 degrees. "Based on the reckoning, the position of the hilal in some of the blood in Indonesia is already above the horizon, and does not meet the new MABIMS criteria and the absence of reports seeing the hilal," said Yaqut. The trial was divided into three stages, namely the presentation of the position of hilal based on the results of the reckoning, the implementation of the isbat trial for the initial determination of Ramadan, and the press teleconference as a result of the trial. The Isbat session held by the Ministry of Religion involved Falak experts, astronomers, representatives of the people, the Indonesian Ulema Council, and representatives of Islamic organizations throughout Indonesia.