Jakarta, NU Online
The Nahdlatul Ulama Astrology Committee (LFNU) will conduct a rukyat (moon sighting) marking the 1st of Shawwal 1434 H in 90 strategic points across Indonesia by involving its teams on Wednesday (7/8) that coincides with the 29th of Ramadan.The strategic points include coastal areas, hills and towers.<>

Chairman of LFNU KH A. Ghazalie Masroeri said he had commissioned some 110 nationally certified observers.

"The national certified observers will conduct a rukyat with with clerics, hisab experts, astronomers, jurisprudence experts and NU members across the regions," he said at the NU headquarters in Jakarta on Monday (5/8).

The results of calculation performed by LFNU in determining Idul Fitri 1434 H as published in the NU Almanac in 2013 mentioned, ijtima' or conjunction will occur on Wednesday (7/8) at 14:50:21 pm. The height of hilal at the time of observation is 3049'06".

The calculation data is already eligible for the so-called imkanurrukyah or the visibility of observation, so that the LFNU predicts the 1st of Syawal will fall on Thursday, August 8, 2013.

"If there are reports that the (NU) rukyat (teams) have successfully seen the new moon, then the Idul Fitri 1434 H will fall on Thursday, August 8, 2013. But if the rukyat (teams) could not see the new moon, the Idul Fitri falls on Friday, August 9, 2013 and fasting must be fulfilled for 30 days,"Kiai Ghazalie said.

Meanwhile Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin said last month that the Majelis Tarjih (law-making council) of Muhammadiyah had decided that Idul Fitri would fall on Aug. 8 because the conjunction of the sun, earth and moon in a straight line would occur on Aug. 7.

Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) spokesperson Amidhan also confirmed that Idul Fitri this year would likely fall on Thursday.

He said the formal announcement would be on Wednesday during a meeting between the Muslim mass organizations, called Sidang Isbat.

“Based on current observations, the height of hilal for sure will be above three degrees on Wednesday. This means that Idul Fitri will be on Thursday because to determine Syawal, the height of hilal is at least two degrees,” he said.

Amidhan added that the MUI would involve hilal experts across Indonesia in observing hilal on Wednesday. He said that if hilal was not seen in some provinces due to cloud or rain but seen in other provinces, Idul Fitri would still fall on Thursday.

Reporting by A. Khoirul Anam; Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq