News

Fasting month starts early in Jember

NU Online  ·  Jumat, 21 Agustus 2009 | 06:48 WIB

Jakarta, NU Online
Although the government has announced that the fasting month of Ramadhan begins Saturday, thousands of Muslims in Jember regency, East Java, started fasting on Friday.

They are primarily residents of the area around the Mahfilud Dlulor Islamic boarding school in Suger Kidul village in Jelbuk subdistrict, Jember regency.<>

“Based on our calculations, today is the beginning of Ramadhan,” said Ali Wafa, head of the school, as quoted by tempointeraktif.com Friday.

The school had also decided to commence the fasting period early last year, following a rule that the beginning of the fasting month or Ramadhan must fall five days before the previous year's start date.

Some Muslim groups in the country still differ in their interpretation of Koranic verses by conducting astronomical observations and calculations, leading to discrepancies in determining the exact start and end of the fasting month.

Indonesia's biggest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama is guided by Qur'anic verses supporting rukyatul hilal or determining the start of Ramadhan by seeing the moon with naked eyes.

Alternatively, the Muhammadiyah Muslim group uses the hisab or calculation method to determine the start date. (jp/dar)