After Eid Prayers, Prabowo Holds Open House at Merdeka Palace

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The government has determined that 1 Syawal 1446 Hijri falls on Monday, March 31, 2025. On this occasion, Muslims will perform the Eid al-Fitr prayer in various mosques. So, where will President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka perform the Eid al-Fitr prayer? What are their agendas for this year's Eid celebration?

Deputy for Protocol, Press, and Media of the Presidential Secretariat, Yusuf Permana, when contacted on Sunday (30/3/2025), stated that President Prabowo and Vice President (Wapres) Gibran will perform the Eid al-Fitr prayer at Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta.

After that, according to the plan, President Prabowo will open the door or open house at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta to receive Eid greetings and to socialize with the community and officials and ambassadors of friendly countries. This event will be held from 09.00 WIB until finished.

Specifically for the public who wish to extend Lebaran greetings to the President, it is requested that they arrive at the Palace before 9:00 AM WIB. Public access to the Palace is through the main gate of the Ministry of State Secretariat, Jalan Majapahit, Central Jakarta.

"This event serves as a platform for fostering camaraderie between President Prabowo and state officials, ambassadors from friendly nations, and the general public. Additionally, this event symbolizes a social effort to eliminate barriers and build a sense of family and togetherness on this blessed day of victory," Yusuf stated in writing.

Vice President Gibran will also head directly to the Merdeka Palace after performing the Eid al-Fitr prayer. According to the plan, the Vice President will engage in a courtesy visit and personally extend Eid al-Fitr greetings to President Prabowo.

"Clearly, during Eid, I must first pay respects to Mr. President before returning to my hometown," said Gibran after observing the National Digital AI Program activities at SMA Negeri 66 Jakarta, Cilandak, South Jakarta, some time ago.

From the visit with President Prabowo, Gibran plans to go to Surakarta and celebrate Eid with his extended family.

Based on the results of the isbat meeting held at the Ministry of Religious Affairs Office in Jakarta on Saturday (29/3/2025), the government has determined that 1 Syawal 1446 Hijri falls on Monday, March 31, 2025. With this determination, the majority of Muslims in Indonesia will celebrate Eid al-Fitr simultaneously.

"It was agreed that 1 Shawwal 1446 Hijriah falls on Monday, March 31, 2025 AD, thus there is istikmal or it is perfected to 30 days, tonight we will still perform Tarawih prayers," said Minister of Religion Nasaruddin Umar at the Haji Mohammad Rasjidi Auditorium of the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag), Jakarta, Saturday (29/3/2025).

The Ministry of Religious Affairs uses the hisab method or calculation or directly observing the existence of the crescent moon. Crescent moon monitoring is held in 33 locations throughout Indonesia. Crescent moon observation in Bali Province this year was canceled because it coincided with Nyepi (Saka New Year 1947).

At sunset on Saturday evening (29/3/2025), the altitude of the crescent moon was not yet visible as it remained at minus 1.85 degrees in Jakarta and minus 1.08 degrees in Banda Aceh. The elongation of the crescent moon reached 1.06 degrees in Jakarta and 1.21 degrees in Banda Aceh.

In fact, the Ministry of Religion uses the criteria for implementing the rukyatul hilal method from the joint agreement of the Ministers of Religion of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore (MABIMS), namely the minimum hilal height is 3 degrees and the minimum elongation distance is 6.4 degrees.

Therefore, the new moon could not be sighted, and the month of Ramadan will be completed to 30 days. Accordingly, Eid al-Fitr 1 Shawwal 1446 AH is likely to be determined to fall on Monday (31/3/2025).

Meanwhile, Muhammadiyah became the first community organization to determine that 1 Syawal 1446 Hijri falls on Monday, March 31, 2025. This decision was based on the hisab hakiki wujudul hilal, a method for determining the beginning of the Hijri month that is consistently used by the Muhammadiyah Central Leadership.

With this method, the beginning of the month is determined when the new moon has been realized. The crescent moon is realized after ijtima occurs before sunset, the moon sets after the sun, and the upper disk of the moon is above the horizon at sunset. If any of these criteria are not met, the month is shortened to 30 days.

"In all regions of Indonesia, the moon is also still below the horizon so that it does not meet the criteria for the existence of the crescent moon. Therefore, the age of the month of Ramadan 1446 H is perfected to 30 days, and 1 Shawwal 1446 H falls on Monday Pahing, March 31, 2025 AD," said the PP Muhammadiyah Circular Number 1/MLM/I.0/E/2025 signed by the General Chairperson of PP Muhammadiyah Haedar Nashir.