Ramadhan: Different Beginnings, Same Ending or Different Ending, Same Beginning (Muhlis)

       In the near future, we will enter the month of ramadhan which is precisely faced by 17 or 18 in june. As we know ramadhan is celebrated by muslims to commomerate when al-quran was first revealed to Muhammad SAW according to islamic belief, and the rule is fasting from down to sunset or the pre-dawn meal before the fast is called the suhoor, while the meal at sunset that breaks the fast is the iftar.  The beginning and end of Ramadan are determined by the lunar Islamic calendar. The writer will try to discuss why two biggest muslim groups NU and Muhammadiya are always different from determining the month of ramadhan. 

       Hilāl (the crescent) plays a vital rule in determining the month of ramadhan. Since the new moon marks the beginning of the new month, muslims can usually estimate the beginning of ramadhan safely. However, to many muslim organizations in determining the month of ramdhan using some methods make society confused because of isbat meeting that is held by religious ministry. Hardly ever did the society pose different perception in determining the month of ramdahan among the people. Each person assumes that what organizations decide that it is true and assumes wrong against the other organizations. In fact, Socities don’t know what is actually used as a measure of determining the beginning and end of fasting by their perpective organizations and institutions of islam.

    There are two methods that determine the beginning  of ramadhan ( hijriyah ) or new moon. The first method is rukyat or hilal method. With seeing hilal, rukyat can be used with the naked eye or optical such as telecopes. Rukyat is used after sunset because hilal can be seen shortly after maghrib. The second method is hisab method. The determination of hilal through a form of new moon approaches. It means the beginning of ramadhan and the begnning of syawal determines based on the position of hilal above ufuk ( the horizon ) although less than 0.5 degrees, and the new moon can not be seen with the eyes, which is important because the new moon has been in existence.

      Because of these methods, both muhammadiyah and NU have different interpretations about determining the month of ramadhan. Religius ministry should try to bridge the differing opinions as to the beginning of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan this year, despite Muhammadiyah the country’s second largest Muslim organization already setting the beginning of the fasting month of their own version. Therefore, We hope that this year, the start of Ramadan between Muhammadiyah and NU can be made simultaneously.