Usman
Eid al-Fitr is a religious moment eagerly awaited by Muslims after completing the fasting of Ramadan. Symbolically, Eid al-Fitr is understood as a return to fitrah (human purity). However, etymologically, Eid al-Fitr actually means “the day of returning to breaking the fast” or “the day of returning to eating (al-fithr),” referring to the word ifthar (breaking the fast). In a social context, Eid al-Fitr serves as a momentum to strengthen solidarity through traditions of silaturahmi (social bonding), visiting one another, exchanging forgiveness, and renewing human relationships.
The celebration of Eid al-Fitr is often marked by differences in the day of its observance. Some celebrate it one day earlier, others one day later, and some even several days earlier or later than the date determined by the government. Several Islamic communities are known for celebrating Eid differently and confidently maintaining their distinct practices, including Tarekat Naqsyabandiyah of Baru Pauh Padang, Tarekat Naqsyabandiyah Khalidiyah in Jombang, Jama’ah an-Nadzir in Mawang, Gowa, South Sulawesi, and the Aboge community in Banyumas. These communities observe Ramadan fasting, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha at times different from those set by the government. In West Sumatra, there are also communities from Tarekat Syaman and Tarekat Naqshbandi who determine their calendar earlier than the government. Another community is Tarekat Syattariyah, who usually begin fasting one or two days later than the government.
These differences are related to the methods used in determining the Islamic lunar calendar (qamariyah), such as rukyat (moon sighting), hisab (astronomical calculation), as well as traditional calendrical systems developed within certain communities, such as the Aboge method (Alif Rebo Wage), Asapon (Alif Selasa Pon), and others. These communities have their own methods for determining the beginning of lunar months based on the movement of the moon. Given the diversity of calculation methods used among different groups, it is natural that differences arise in determining the beginning of months such as the start of Ramadan and the day of Eid al-Fitr.
Interestingly, these differences rarely lead to serious social conflict. At the grassroots level, such differences can even become a kind of “blessing” for some people, perhaps for many, because they can choose when to begin and end fasting (and celebrate Eid) according to the opinion they believe in. For example, someone might begin fasting following the government’s decision but celebrate Eid following Muhammadiyah, which sometimes determines the start of Ramadan one day earlier.
The debate over determining the beginning of the Islamic lunar months does not only reflect methodological differences in calculating the Islamic calendar but also illustrates how religion (Islam) is practiced and interpreted in everyday life in a fluid and dynamic way. Religion is not only present in the form of doctrine or formal institutions but also lives in the daily practices of society. From the perspective of lived religion, the celebration of Eid al-Fitr is understood as something that is lived, experienced, and interpreted in various social contexts. According to Nancy T. Ammerman (2014), religious life is not only about what people believe but also about what they do, feel, and experience in their everyday lives. In a broader context, the celebration of Eid al-Fitr and other religious practices are often connected to social strategies in responding to existing structures of authority. Linda Woodhead (2012) explains that religious practices do not only reflect systems of belief but also social strategies used by individuals or groups in interacting with structures of power.
In the Indonesian context, the mechanism for determining the beginning of the lunar months through the sidang isbat (official government deliberation) involving the state and religious organizations can be understood as a form of strategic religion, namely an institutional effort to create order in the religious practices of society. Conversely, the local calendrical practices maintained by some communities reflect a form of tactical religion, namely the tactics used by communities to preserve their religious traditions in everyday life. The dynamics between institutional forms of religiosity and religious practices that live at the community level are ultimately reflected not only in differences of authority in determining the beginning of lunar months but also in how Muslims live and interpret the celebration of Eid al-Fitr in their daily lives.
Nancy T. Ammerman’s framework of the seven dimensions of religion can be used as an analytical lens. Through this framework, the practice of Eid al-Fitr can be understood through various interconnected aspects of religious life: spirituality, embodiment, materiality, emotions, aesthetics, morality, and narratives that shape Muslims’ religious experiences in everyday life. The dimension of spirituality appears when Eid al-Fitr is interpreted as a moment of reflection and self-purification. The dimension of embodiment emerges through fasting, the Eid prayer, and handshaking traditions. Materiality is present through calendars, moon-sighting instruments, and traditional calendrical manuscripts. Emotions are reflected in feelings of gratitude, compassion, and collective joy. Aesthetics appear in the echo of takbir, festive clothing, traditional foods, and the tradition of homecoming (mudik). Morality is expressed through the ethics of mutual forgiveness, while narratives are present through community stories about calendar calculation methods and the authority of religious scholars.
Thus, differences in the celebration of Eid al-Fitr in Indonesia demonstrate that religious practices are not always uniform. Through the perspective of lived religion, this phenomenon can be understood as part of the dynamic nature of religiosity within society. Rather than causing social disintegration, these differences in celebrating Eid al-Fitr instead demonstrate the ability of Indonesian Muslims to manage differences with maturity, wisdom, and mutual respect.
Happy Eid al-Fitr 1447 H! Taqabbalallahu minna wa minkum, wishing you peace, joy, and prosperity.