First Day of Ramadan to Fall on Thursday in Indonesia

The Ulama', Du'at, and Leaders of Islamic Organizations in Palawan, collectively known as the Palawan Ulama' and Du'at Council Inc. have announced the first day of Ramadan to begin on March 23 in Indonesia.

The Ulama’, Du’at, and Leaders of Islamic Organizations in Palawan, collectively known as the Palawan Ulama’ and Du’at Council Inc. have announced the first day of Ramadan to begin on March 23 in Indonesia.

Whether it is a far East or a far West country, Ramadan brings the same rituals every year, with slight cultural differences.

Indonesia, a country in southeast Asia, is known for being home to the largest Muslim population in the world with approximately 231 million Muslims, equivalent to 86.7%.

Indonesians in Jakarta will fast for 13 hours during the whole month of Ramadan.

People in Indonesia also resort to breaking the fast in groups or what they call “buka bersama” (breaking the fast together).

As Ramadan is a month when Muslims worldwide thrive in their worshiping acts, Indonesians rush to mosques for taraweeh prayers wearing their traditional men “sarung” (garment worn and wrapped around the waist), and women wearing their “tudung” (headscarf).

One of the traditions in Indonesia is “mudik”, where a large number of Indonesian Muslims visit their hometowns a few days before Ramadan ends with celebrating Eid al-Fitr with their families known as “lebaran.”

Ramadan teaches Muslims a lot of things, as it is a school of patience. People suffering from addictions such as smoking, or drinking alcohol must seize the opportunity to break evil habits and develop proper ones.