Ramadan Fasting Set For Sunday April 3, Tomorrow Night Tarawih

JAKARTA - The government through the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) has set the first day of fasting or the beginning of Ramadan 1443 Hijri to fall on April 3, 2022.

Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Coumas said this decision was taken after reports in 101 regions in several parts of Indonesia witnessed the new moon.

"It is unanimous that 1 Ramadan in 1443 Hijri will fall on Sunday, April 3, 2022 AD," Yaqut said at a press conference broadcast on the Indonesian Ministry of Religion's Youtube channel, Friday, April 1.

Thus, the public can start performing the tarawih prayers tomorrow, Saturday, April 2 night. The start time for Ramadan set by the government is similar to the PBNU decision and has a difference of one day with Muhammadiyah, which first started Ramadan on April 2.

Yaqut explained that information on the reckoning count had been informed by a number of the Ministry of Religion in regions that were placed at no less than 101 rukyat points in 34 provinces throughout Indonesia.

As a result, the height of the new moon in all parts of Indonesia is currently in a position between 1 degree 6.78 minutes to 2 degrees 10.02 minutes.

Meanwhile, based on the new criteria agreed by MABIMS, the beginning of the month of Ramadan enters if the position of the new moon at sunset is 3 degrees and the elongation is 6.4 degrees.

"Of these 101 points that reported not seeing the hilal. As from these 101 points, all of them reported not seeing the hilal," said Yaqut.

For information, the Isbat trial for the determination of 1 Ramadan 1443 H was held in a hybrid manner, namely online and offline by implementing health protocols.

The isbat trial is divided into three stages, namely the presentation of the position of the new moon based on the reckoning results, the implementation of the isbat trial for the determination of the beginning of Ramadan, and the press teleconference of the results of the isbat trial.

This isbat session involved the Hijri Calendar Unification Team of the Ministry of Religion, Commission VIII of the DPR, ambassadors from friendly countries, and representatives of Islamic organizations.

This trial also involved representatives of the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (Lapan), the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), and other invitees.