The Medan City Government monitored the rukyatul Hilal to determine the beginning of Ramadan 1443 H/2022 AD from the Observatory of Astronomy (OIF) of Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU), Jalan Denai, Medan Denai District, Friday (1/4).
OIF UMSU is one of the 101 national Hilal monitoring centers. For the North Sumatra region, there are two designated Hilal monitoring centers, namely OIF UMSU and the North Sumatra Governor’s Office.
The observation of the new moon was attended by the Mayor of Medan, Muhammad Bobby Afif Nasution, SE, MM, Chairman of MUI, Rector of UMSU, Prof.Dr. Agussani, MAP, Chairman of MUI Medan. Dr. H. Hasan Matsum, MAg, Head of the Medan City Ministry of Religion, Dr. H. Impun Siregar, MA, and leaders of Islamic organizations throughout the city of Medan.
Observations of the early Hilal of Ramadan 1443 H with an altitude of 1° 44″ at 18:34 WIB in Medan City. Based on observations made, the new moon is not visible because the sky on the western horizon is covered by thick clouds until the sun sets.
According to the Head of UMSU OIF, Dr. Arwin Juli Rahmadi Butarbutar, the UMSU OIF Research Team on duty in Barus also reported that the Hilal was nowhere to be seen.
The Central Leadership of Muhammadiyah itself has announced that the start of the fasting month of Ramadan 1443 Hijri will fall on Saturday (2/4) tomorrow. The determination of the time of fasting for Muhammadiyah uses the method of reckoning the ultimate form of the Hilal.
Meanwhile, the Mayor of Medan, Muhammad Bobby Afif Nasution, SE, MM, said that there is nothing to argue about and debate if there are differences in determining the start of Ramadan. “Difference is not the first thing that happens, and inequality should not be seen as division, but on the contrary, can unite us all,” he said.
Previously, the Rector of UMSU, Prof. Dr. Agussani, MAP, revealed OIF UMSU is ready to always carry out the agenda for observing the new moon at the beginning of Ramadan, which is carried out by the Medan City Government. “This is not the first time this has been done, and OIF UMSU itself continues to be developed in the context of improving education,” he said.
