KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 — Muslims in Malaysia will celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri tomorrow, said the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal Tan Sri Syed Danial Syed Ahmad.
“In keeping with the command of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, following the consent of the Rulers, I hereby declare that the date for Hari Raya Puasa for the states in Malaysia has been set for Wednesday, April 10, 2024,” he said.
The announcement was broadcast over local television networks.
Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Mohd Na'im Mokhtar said Malaysia uses the methods of ‘Rukyah’ (moon sighting) and ‘Hisab’ (astronomical calculations) based on the criteria of ‘Imkanur Rukyah’ to determine the beginning of Syawal.
In a statement today, he said the criteria refer to the condition in which the new moon is considered visible if it is at a position between 3 degrees and 6.4 degrees above the horizon when the sun sets.
Na'im's remarks come after the announcement of the Aidilfitri date for Saudi Arabia, which will celebrate it tomorrow as announced yesterday, which has caused public speculation.
He added that Saudi Arabia conducted the moon sighting yesterday evening (a day earlier than Malaysia) as 1 Ramadan is earlier in that country than in Malaysia.
“As we know, the country is located further west than Malaysia,” Na'im said.
— Bernama
