First of Ramadan Established on March 23: Muhammadiyah

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - One of the largest Islamic organizations Muhammadiyah has determined the first of Ramadan to fall on March 23, 2023, which also determines the first day of fasting for the Muslim community. 

“Muhammadiyah has set 1 Ramadan 1444 H to fall on Thursday Pon 23 March 2023," said Secretary of PP Muhammadiyah, Muhammad Sayuti, in a press conference aired on the organization’s YouTube account on Monday, February 6.

In addition to the start of fasting, Muhammadiyah has also determined Eid al-Fitr will fall on Friday, April 21 and 1 Zulhijah 1444 H on Monday, June 19.

Moreover, Sayuti said that the day of Arafah 9 Zulhijah will fall on Tuesday, June 27 and the Eid al-Adha which coincides with 10 Zulhijah will be on Wednesday, June 28.

Muhammadiyah’s head of the Tarjih and Tajdid division, Syamsul Anwar, said that the determination of the aforementioned dates was based on the position and not on the appearance of the moon. In determining the month of Ramadan, Muhammadiyah paid attention to the conditions for the occurrence of Ijtima, which describes the astronomical position when the moon has circled the earth in one synodic rotation.

Syamsul said that one synodic round for Ramadan was reached on March 22, at 00.25.41 WIB (Western Indonesia Time). In addition, Syamsul said that Ijtima took place before sunset, and at sunset, the moon was still above the horizon or had not yet set.

"So (the determination of Ramadan) is not based on sightings, but based on the geometric positions of the heavenly bodies, namely the sun, earth, and moon," said Syamsul.

M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH

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