Muhammadiyah`s decision that the first day of Syawal falls on Tuesday, August 30, 2011, is not fabricated but based on religious beliefs that ijtima or the solar, lunar, and earth astral conjugation happened on the day before,"
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Some Indonesian Muslims performed Idul Fitri prayers to mark the end of the fasting month on Tuesday although the government has declared Wednesday as the date for Idul Fitri.

Thousands of Muslims attended a prayer service at the Al Azhar Mosque in South Jakarta on Tuesday with former chairman of the People`s Consultative Assembly (MPR) KH Hidayat Nur Wahid as preacher.

Present at the Idul Fitri service at the mosque were a number of national figures such as Deputy Chairman of the People`s Consultative Assembly Hajrianto Tohari, former minister of religious affairs Tarmizi Taher, former chief of the National Mandate Party Sutrisno Bachir and former legislators Suripto and Ali Mochtar Ngabalin.

In his sermon, Hidayat called on all Muslims in the country to be grateful to God for all the blessings he had given to us including the country`s independence.

"(We have to be grateful) seeing that many Muslims in other parts of the world such as Palestine and Kosovo are now still struggling," he said.

Meanwhile, some other countries despite their independence had failed to consummate the independence due to continuing national conflicts, he said.

"Thank God, Indonesia is already independent and has in principle been able to maintain its independence," he said.

Some Muslims in the predominantly Catholic province of East Nusa Tenggara also performed Idul Fitri prayers on Tuesday. Thousands of members of Muhammadiyah Islamic organization joined Idul Fitri prayers in the provincial capital of Kupang on Tuesday morning with Hamim Thohari as a preacher.

In his sermon, Thohari said every Muslim must be able to become a pioneer and advocate of good deeds to anybody in any position.

"As Muslims, Muhammadiyah members must be able to become a pioneer of good deeds by always doing good thing to every mankind without making a distinction," said Thohari who graduated from Al Azhar University in Cairo.

He said Muslims must practice the noble and spiritual values obtained in the fasting month of Ramadhan in their daily life. More importantly, Muslims must be able to do good deeds for other people, regardless of their ethnicity, religion or social class.

In Makassar, South Sulawesi`s provincial capital, thousands of Muslims performed Idul Fitri prayers at 14 different places in seven sub-districts on Tuesday morning.

"The Idul Fitri prayers mostly participated in by Muhammadiyah members take place in 14 different areas in seven sub-districts. All security personnel are deployed to secure the prayers services," the chief of the traffic unit at the Makassar city police Adj. Sr. Comr. Muhammad Hidayat said.

In Jember, East Java, hundreds of people celebrated Idul Fitri festivities at a correctional facility. "I celebrate Idul Fitri festivities at a correctional facility along with my son who was sent to jail together with his friends two months ago," local resident Misdarsi said.

Misdarsi said she, along with her relatives came to the correctional facility a half hour before it was opened at 09.00 a.m.

In Bantul, Yogyakarta, Muhammadiyah members performed Idul Fitri prayers at Trirenggo soccer field with former chief of Muhammadiyah executive board Amien Rais as a preacher.

Amin said Muslims must be strong in all aspects of life."Allah SWT loves strong Muslims and not weak Muslims. Even the Prophet Muhammad SAW himself expected that Muslims must be strong in all businesses of a country and nation including our country," he said.

He said Islam taught its adherents balance between the world life and the hereafter. Muslims should not act as if they were sidelined and neglected and were not useful. But they must be convinced that they would enter heaven.

"Therefore, Allah asks Muslims to pursue happiness by whatever means including setting aside part of their wealth for the needy," he said.

In Bekasi, West Java, thousands of Muhammadiyah members performed Idul Fitri prayers at the parking lot of Grand Mal on Jalan Sudirman on Tuesday morning.

The Muhammadiyag members, most of them clad in white, began to flock to the venue at around 06.00 a.m. or one hour before the prayers began, bringing with them prayers kits, an Antara journalist observed.

"Participants of the Idul Fitri prayers are not only from Muhammadiyah but also from non-Muhammadiyah members who in the previous years followed the government`s announcement," local resident Hendrik said.

Such prayers were also held at the parking lot of Bekasi Cyber Park (BCP) on Jalan Ahmad Yani, South Bekasi. The prayers began at 07.00 a.m. with Drs H M Nasution MA. as a preacher.

In his sermon, Nasution asked Muslims across the country to maintain close relations although they differed about the date of Idul Fitri.

"We do not need to respond to the difference with emotion. The freedom to perform religious services is guaranteed by the government. The problem now is how to respond to it under the spirit of unity among Muslims," he said.

He asked Muhammadiyah members to celebrate the festivities in a modest way by respecting fellow Muslims who still did the fast on Tuesday.

The executive board of Muhammadiyah Islamic organization had set the date for Idul Fitri on August 30. Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali on behalf of the government meanwhile on Monday declared August 31 as the date for Idul Fitri following a meeting with representatives of Islamic organizations in the country and reports of failure to make a sighting of the new moon.

Muhammadiyah General Chairman Din Syamsudin said the different dates of the Idul Fitri or Lebaran festivity should not cause conflict among Muslims.

"The differences should be addressed with tolerance and mutual respect because the decision on the first day of Syawal is based on

the religious beliefs of the respective Muslim communities," he said after performing Idul Fitri prayers on Tuesday.

He said in Islam, the difference was acknowledged so long it was based on strong and accountable religious arguments and therefore, it should not be debated and exaggerated.

"Muhammadiyah`s decision that the first day of Syawal falls on Tuesday, August 30, 2011, is not fabricated but based on religious beliefs that ijtima or the solar, lunar, and earth astral conjugation happened on the day before," Din said.

The Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)`s regional executive board in Bogor, West Java, asked its cadres to respect the decision of Muhammadiyah members and other Muslims to perform Idul Fitri prayers on Tuesday.

Difference was something normal in Islam and thus, Muslims must respect other Muslims who had different view, the secretary of the NU`s branch in Bogor. Zainullah, said on Tuesday.

"We respect Muhammadiyah members who stick to their stand to perform Idul Fitri prayers on Tuesday," he said.(*)

Reporter: Suharto
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2011