TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's Religious Affairs Ministry announced that the first day of Syawwal 1442 H, or the Eid al-Fitr day, falls on Thursday, May 13, 2021. This result was obtained in the Isbat meeting held in 88 spots across the country on Tuesday, May 11.

The Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas said the decision was made in the Isbat meeting as "the hilal (moon) wasn't visible," he said on Tuesday. Therefore, the first day of Syawwal or Eid al-Fitr celebration falls on Thursday, May 13.

Indonesian astronomy expert from the Hijri Calendar Unification Team of religious Affairs Ministry, Cecep Nurwendaya, that there was no empirical reference for hilal visibility for the first day of Syawal 1442 H across Indonesian regions on Tuesday, May 11, 2021.

Cecep conveyed it when explaining the data of moon (hilal) position to determine the first day of Syawwal 1442 Islamic year (Hijri) during the isbat meeting at the Religious Affairs Ministry office in Jakarta.

“The hilal altitude is negative in all of Indonesian regions at around -5.6 until -4.4 degrees. The moon sets first before the sun," he said in a written statement on Tuesday, May 11, 2021.

The determination of the first day of Hijri month is based on rukyat and hisab. The hisab process had been done and the result is available.

Based on hisab calculation system, the first day of Syawwal month falls on Thursday, May 13, 2021. This data, he said, was informative, while the confirmation awaits the result of the Isbat meeting.

Cecep explained that rukyat is an astronomical observation and therefore, there should be a reference. He went on to say that if there is the reference, then it can be accepted, and vice versa.

Read: Religious Affairs Ministry to Determine Eid al-Fitr in Isbat

Tempo.co