BKISHHB

 

​A briefing session on the Pameran Astronomi: Kaedah Penentuan Awal Bulan Hijri was held this evening at the Ruang Legar Balai Khazanah Islam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah.

This briefing is one of the programmes under the Pameran Astronomi: Kaedah Penentuan Awal Bulan Hijri, a collaborative initiative among five agencies and associations, namely Bahagian Perhubungan Awam, Antarabangsa dan MABIMS (Malaysia, Republik Indonesia dan Republik Singapura), Kementerian Hal Ehwal Ugama; Jabatan Kehakiman Negara; Jabatan Mufti Kerajaan; Jabatan Ukur and Persatuan Astronomi Brunei Darussalam (PABD).

The first briefing session, titled “Penetapan Awal Bulan-Bulan Hijrah di Negara Brunei Darussalam,” was delivered by Yang Mulia Haji Abdul Muhaimin bin Awang Haji Damit, Pegawai Ugama Mahkamah Syariah, Jabatan Kehakiman Negara.

This was followed by Yang Mulia Haji Khairul Abidin bin Haji Sulaiman, Pemangku Juruukur Kanan, Jabatan Ukur, Kementerian Pembangunan, who presented a briefing titled “Penglihatan Anak Bulan / Hilal di Negara Brunei Darussalam.”

Meanwhile, Yang Mulia Muhammad Husaini bin Ali Hassan, Ahli Eksekutif PABD, shared his personal experience in observing the Hilal during the session.

One of the main objectives of the Pameran Astronomi: Kaedah Penentuan Awal Bulan Hijri is to provide exposure to the public — including school students and learners from educational institutions — on the process and methods of Hilal observation in Islam, and to highlight the role and significance of the Hilal in determining important Islamic calendar dates practised in NBD, such as the beginning of Ramadan for fasting, the sighting of the Syawal crescent for Hari Raya Aidilfitri, and the determination of Zulhijah for wukuf Arafah and Hari Raya Aidiladha.

It also aims to explore and learn about the various methods used by other countries in determining the beginning of the Hijri months, such as the MABIMS criteria, the Rukyah method (Saudi Arabia), and the method based on the altitude of the crescent above the horizon and the elongation angle (arc distance) between the sun and the moon (Turkey).