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SINGAPORE - The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) said it is “not obligatory” for countries to follow one another in determining the date for the end of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting.
In response to queries, Deputy Mufti Mohd Murat Md Aris on Sunday said countries should rely on their own methods to determine the Islamic calendar.
Two criteria – calculation based on astronomy, and the sighting of the crescent moon – are used by Islamic scholars to determine the end of Ramadan, he explained.
The end of Ramadan will usher in Hari Raya Aidilfitri, also known as Hari Raya Puasa, which falls on the first day of the month of Syawal.
Hari Raya Aidilfitri in Singapore in 2023 is slated to fall on April 22.
Malaysian daily The Star, as well as several other Malaysian news websites, reported on Friday that the International Astronomical Centre based in the United Arab Emirates had predicted that Syawal in most countries would begin on April 21.
According to the Islamic calendar, which is lunar, some months can last 29 days and others 30 days.
In the Muis statement, Dr Murat said: “For as long as we hold true to the principles of our faith and the guidance of Prophet Muhammad, differences in the determination of the Islamic calendar are something which is neither unexpected nor alarming.”
As a result, not all countries in the world, including Muslim-majority countries, celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri on the same date.
These differences have occurred very frequently in the past, said Dr Murat, citing recent instances in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021 and 2022 when Muslims in some countries in the region welcomed Hari Raya Aidilfitri on a different day from those in other countries.
In 2022, Muslims in Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia celebrated Hari Raya Aidilfitri a day earlier than Muslims in Singapore. The Islamic religious authorities of these four nations meet regularly through an informal gathering called Mabims.
Said Dr Murat: “The religious authorities of other Mabims countries adopt the (astronomy calculations) method to determine key Islamic months such as Ramadan and Syawal.
“However, these countries might also not sight the crescent moon due to atmospheric factors despite fulfilling the Mabims criteria.”
Determining the end of Ramadan by sighting the crescent moon in Singapore, he added, has proved “generally extremely difficult” due to its weather conditions, which are often cloudy.
Therefore, the Republic uses the imkanur rukyah astronomy calculation method, which was recently reviewed in 2021 and is based on more than 700 data points of crescent moon sightings from around the world.
The criteria considers two parameters during sunset on the 29th day of the month: The elevation of the crescent moon, which must exceed three degrees, and the degree of elongation of the sun and the moon, which must exceed 6.4 degrees.
According to Dr Murat, all Mabims countries adopt a method of determination which is based on the principles and guidance of Prophet Muhammad, and while the individual results might differ, they are valid in their respective contexts.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...ne-another-in-determining-end-of-ramadan-muis
