Jakarta. The government has confirmed that the date of Eid al-Fitr is this Saturday and urged Indonesian Muslims to respect those who will be celebrating the religious holiday a day earlier.

The confirmation came after Muslim scholars and clerics convened at the Religious Affairs Ministry headquarters in Jakarta on Thursday evening.

The date of Eid is calculated by the sighting of the new moon that marks the first day of Syawal, the 10th month of the Muslim calendar.

Muhammadiyah, one of the country’s biggest Muslim organizations, has determined the date in advance and will be celebrating Eid after a full fasting month of Ramadan on Friday.

"The government determines that the date of Eid or the first of Syawal will fall on Saturday, April 22, 2023," Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas said after the conference which also involved the moon-sighting committee. 

He urged Muslims not to exaggerate the difference between the Muhammadiyah version of the date of Eid and the one stipulated by the government.

"Instead, we need to promote harmony and tolerance," he added.

The ministry has deployed moon-sighting teams to 123 locations from Aceh to Papua and they advised that the sighting of the new crescent moon can’t be confirmed with accuracy for Friday.

Yaqut has previously urged all regional governments to facilitate the mass Eid prayer by Muhammadiyah followers scheduled on Friday morning despite the difference.

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