The Minister of Religious Affairs in Indonesia, Prof. Nasaruddin Umar, expressed gratitude as the Muslim community in Indonesia began observing the holy month of Ramadan. However, the process of determining the beginning of Ramadan this year was quite tense and different from that of some neighboring countries. During his first Tarawih prayer sermon at the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta on Saturday night, Nasaruddin mentioned the exhilaration of the Isbat meeting to confirm the start of the sacred month, highlighting the unique circumstances surrounding the sighting of the crescent moon across various regions.
Nasaruddin elaborated that this year’s Isbat meeting was particularly intense as no sightings of the Hilal (crescent moon) were reported from regions spanning from Marauke, Sulawesi, Java, to Kalimantan. Despite this, he expressed relief that two moon-sighting committees in Aceh eventually confirmed the sighting of the Hilal, allowing for the commencement of Tarawih prayers. This moment marked the official start of Ramadan for the Indonesian Muslim community.
Moving on to neighboring countries like Brunei Darussalam and Singapore, geographically close to Indonesia, Nasaruddin highlighted the differences in the start of Ramadan due to variations in the angular measurement of the crescent moon’s visibility. He pointed out that while these countries are in close proximity, the elongation angle differs, impacting the ability to sight the moon. Consequently, Brunei and Singapore were set to begin Ramadan on Sunday, March 2, 2025.
Meanwhile, Singapore’s Mufti, Nazirudin Mohd Nasi, emphasized the astronomical calculations determining the start of Ramadan. According to these calculations, at sunset on Friday night, or the 29th of Syaban 1445 H, the moon was at an angular distance of 5.1 degrees with a height of 4.3 degrees. These calculations did not align with the agreed-upon criteria for moon sighting among the MABIMS countries (Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore). As a result, Singapore announced the commencement of Ramadan on Sunday, March 2, 2025.
Similarly, Malaysia also confirmed the beginning of Ramadan on Sunday, March 2, 2025, leading to a discrepancy in the start date of fasting between Indonesia and its neighboring countries like Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei. The divergence in dates highlighted the intricacies involved in moon sighting and the variations in religious practices across different regions.
Overall, the variations in the commencement of Ramadan among Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei shed light on the cultural and geographical influences shaping religious observances. Despite the differences in moon sighting and the start of the holy month, the shared sense of spirituality and devotion unites Muslim communities across borders. As Muslims embark on this sacred journey of fasting, prayer, and reflection, the diversity in observance serves as a reminder of the rich tapestry of traditions that define the Islamic faith.
