Press Released

Media Permata 01 OCT 05

Awal bulan Ramadan, puasa mungkin Rabu

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jumaat - Awal Ramadan pada tahun ini dijangka
bermula pada hari Rabu 5 Oktober dan umat Islam di negara ini juga
dijangka memulakan ibadat puasa pada hari yang sama.
Jabatan Ukur dalam kenyataannya hari ini berkata rukyah atau melihat
anak bulan akan dilakukan pada petang Isnin, 29 Syaaban bersamaan 3
Oktober di tempat-tempat yang lazimnya digunakan untuk melihat anak
bulan.

Mengikut perkiraan secara saintifik oleh Unit Astronomi Jabatan
Ukur, pada 3 Oktober ini, matahari terbenam atau waktu Maghrib
adalah pada 6.12 petang dan bulan pula terbenam pada 6.08 minit
petang, iaitu 4 minit sebelum matahari terbenam.

Sehubungan itu, ketika matahari terbenam, hilal (anak bulan) tidak
akan wujud pada petang itu kerana bulan terbenam lebih awal daripada
matahari, sementara ijtimak atau pertukaran antara bulan lama
(Syaaban) dan bulan baru (Ramadan) pula berlaku pada pukul 6.28
petang iaitu 16 minit selepas matahari terbenam.

Bagaimanapun, tarikh sebenar permulaan bulan Ramadan adalah
tertakluk sepenuhnya kepada perisytiharan rasmi melalui Radio
Televisyen Brunei yang akan dilakukan pada petang 3 Oktober, kata
kenyataan.




BORNEO BULLETIN
01 Oct 2005

Ramadhan next week

By M K Anwar
The holy month of Ramadhan expected to begin next week will start as
usual soon after the new moon is sighted and an official
announcement is made.
However the Survey General at the Ministry of Development predicts
before the moon sighting, this day to be Wednesday, October 5th,
when all Muslims in this region will begin fasting on the same day.

Claiming their prediction to be backed by scientific facts, the
department went on to say, "According to the scientific calculation
by the Astronomy Unit of the Survey Department for October 3rd, the
sunset or the Maghrib prayers will begin at 6.12pm and the moon will
set on 6.08pm: that is four minutes after the sun sets.

"In relation to this, while the sun sets, the 'hilal' or new moon
will be sighted in the afternoon because it sets earlier than the
sun. Meanwhile the 'ijtimak' or change between the old month
(Syaban) and the new month of Ramadhan will take place at 6.28pm,
that is 16 minutes after the sunset. However, the department ends
their press statement saying the final decision of when to begin the
holy month will be made after the Government announces the day on TV
and radio on October 3.

The Surveyor General at the Ministry of Development in a press
statement to the Weekend added that the sighting of the new moon of
Ramadhan will take place on Monday, October 3 at Bukit Shahbandar in
Jerudong, Bukit Agok Firing Range and Bukit Ambok in the Tutong
District and also at Bukit Lumut in the Belait District