PBNU: The Beginning of Ramadan is Estimated to be on Thursday, March 23, 2023

Dream - The Falakiyah Institution of the Nahdlatul Ulama Central Board (LF PBNU) has released data on the sighting of the new moon for the beginning of Ramadan 1444 H on Wednesday, 29th of Sya'ban 1444 H, corresponding to March 22, 2023.

Based on the obtained data, it is estimated that the beginning of Ramadan will fall on Thursday, March 23, 2023. This means that on Wednesday, March 22nd, Muslims in Indonesia have already performed Tarawih prayer.

Quoting the page NU, LF PBNU's data includes the height of the moon, elongation, ijtima' time, duration of the moon, condition of the moon, position of the moon, and the sun.

1. Height of the Moon

The smallest height of the moon in Indonesia at sunset on Wednesday, 29th of Sya'ban 1444 H or March 22, 2023, is in Merauke City, Papua Province, with a height of +7 degrees 15 minutes, while the largest parameter of the moon occurs in Lhoknga City, Aceh Province, with a height of +9 degrees 05 seconds.

2. Elongation

Elongation is the arc drawn from the center of the Sun's disk directly to the center of the Moon's disk geocentrically (haqiqy).

The smallest elongation in Indonesia at sunset on Wednesday, 29th of Sya'ban 1444 H or March 22, 2023, is 8 degrees 32 minutes in Merauke City, Papua Province, and up to 10 degrees 8 minutes in Lhoknga City, Aceh Province.

3. Duration of the Moon

The duration of the moon is the time the moon is above the horizon from the sunset until the moon sets.

The duration of the moon at sunset on Wednesday, 29th of Sya'ban 1444 H or March 22, 2023, starts at 31 minutes 42 seconds in Merauke, Papua, and up to 37 minutes 45 seconds in Lhoknga, Aceh.

4. Ijtima' or Conjunction

Ijtima' or the conjunction of the moon and the sun is when the sun and the moon are aligned in the same ecliptic longitude line geocentrically (haqiqy), which means when viewed from the center point of the Earth (not the Earth's surface).

Although they occupy the same ecliptic longitude, there will be no solar eclipse during this conjunction because both celestial bodies occupy their respective ecliptic latitudes.

The conjunction of the moon for the beginning of Ramadan 1444 H occurred on Wednesday, Pahing, March 22, 2023, at 00:25:22 WIB, referring to the location of the PBNU Building on Jl. Kramat Raya, Central Jakarta, with coordinates 6° 11' 25'' S 106° 50' 50'' E.

5. Condition and Position of the Moon

The condition of the moon is the inclination of the perfect crescent moon. If it is located to the south of the sun, then the inclination of the moon is to the south. Vice versa.

The condition of the moon on March 22, 2023, is inclined to the north. Meanwhile, the position of the moon is the arc drawn parallel to the horizon from the base point of the vertical high line perpendicular to the toposentric horizon towards the center of the disk.

The sun reaches the point where the base of the hilal's altitude line is located at sunset. It is also called the relative as-simtu of the sun and the moon. The position of the moon on March 22, 2023, is at 3 degrees 06 minutes 23 seconds north of the sun.

6. Position of the Sun and the Moon

The position of the sun is the arc drawn parallel to the horizon from the true west point to the base point of the vertical high line perpendicular to the toposentric horizon towards the center of the sun's disk at sunset.

Meanwhile, the position of the moon is the arc drawn parallel to the horizon from the true west point to the point where the base of the hilal's altitude line is located at sunset.

It is also called the as-simtu of the sun and the as-simtu of the moon. The position of the sun on March 22, 2023, is at 0 degrees 32 minutes 56 seconds north of the west point, while the position of the moon is at 3 degrees 39 minutes 59 seconds north of the west point.

The above LF PBNU data shows that the position of the moon throughout Indonesia is already above the horizon and has met the criteria for imkan rukyah (possibility of moon sighting) agreed upon by the Ministers of Religious Affairs of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore (MABIMS), which are 3 degrees with an elongation of 6.4 degrees.

That means the possibility of sighting the moon is very high because its height already meets the criteria. However, this needs to be confirmed with observations that successfully see the moon.

Then it will be determined by the Government through the Ministry of Religious Affairs in the itsbat session which will be held on Wednesday, March 22, 2023.

If the moon is visible, the beginning of Ramadan 1444 H will fall on Thursday, March 23, 2023. This means that starting from Thursday night, Indonesian Muslims are recommended to perform Tarawih prayer.

However, if the moon cannot be seen due to certain factors, the beginning of Ramadan 1444 H will be on Friday, March 24, 2023, and Tarawih prayer is recommended to be performed starting from that Friday night.

Muhammadiyah Declares the Beginning of Ramadan to Fall on March 23, 2023, 1 Syawal on April 21

Dream - The Central Leadership of Muhammadiyah has determined that 1 Ramadan 1444 Hijriah will fall on March 23, 2023. This determination is based on the hisab hakiki wujudul hilal (calculation of the actual sighting of the new moon) followed by the Tarjih and Tajdid Assembly.

"The age of the moon in Syakban 1444 Hijriah is 30 days, and the date of 1 Ramadan falls on Thursday Pon, March 23, 2023 AD," according to a letter from the Tarjih and Tajdid Assembly of the Muhammadiyah Central Board, Tuesday, January 31, 2023, quoted from merdeka.com.

The hisab results show that on Monday, 29th of Syakban 1444 H, which corresponds to March 21, 2023, the conjunction for Ramadan 1444 has not yet occurred. The conjunction occurred on the next day, Wednesday, 30th of Syakban 1444 H or March 22, 2023, at 00:25:41 WIB.

The height of the moon at sunset in Yogyakarta (¢ = -07° 48' and l = 110° 21' E) is +07° 57' 17'' (the crescent moon has already appeared), and throughout Indonesia at sunset, the moon is above the horizon.

In addition to determining 1 Ramadan 1444 H, the Tarjih and Tajdid Assembly of the Muhammadiyah Central Board also determined 1 Syawal 1444 H and 1 Zulhijah 1444 H.

On Thursday, 29th of Ramadhan 1444 Hijriah, which corresponds to April 20, 2023 AD, the conjunction for Syawal 1444 Hijriah occurred at 11:15:06 WIB.

The height of the moon at sunset in Yogyakarta (¢ = -07° 48' and l = 110° 21' E) is +01° 47' 58'' (the crescent moon has already appeared), and throughout Indonesia at sunset, the moon is above the horizon.

"The date of 1 Syawal 1444 Hijriah falls on Friday Pahing, April 21, 2023 AD," according to the letter.

Meanwhile, 1 Zulhijjah 1444 Hijriah falls on Monday, June 19, 2023, Arafah Day (9 Zulhijjah) on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, and Eid al-Adha on Wednesday, June 28, 2023.