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Naqsabandiyah celebrates early Idul Fitri in West Sumatra

NU Online  ·  Senin, 29 September 2008 | 09:20 WIB

Padang, NU Online
Around 200 members of Naqsabandiyah celebrated early Idul Fitri in Pasar Barau in Padang, West Sumatra, on Monday.

Syahbadar, the caretaker of the group's mosque, lead the morning Id prayer at 7 a.m. while a group leader, Khilan, presented a sermon in Arabic.<>

"Our calculation tells us that the holiday falls today. We also started the fasting month earlier on Aug. 29," Syahbadar said as quoted by Tempointeraktif.com.

He said the same calculations had been used by the group members for generations. Syahbadar predicted that around a thousand other members in the region also celebrated the holiday Monday.

Indonesian Muslims have been divided in celebrating Idul Fitri due to Islamic organizations using different methods to determine the beginning of a new Islamic calendar month.

The members of the Naqsabandiyah are scattered in Pesisir Selatan, Padang Pariaman and Pasaman regencies.

Syahbadar said the group's teachings came from Imam Syafei, one of Prophet Muhammad's disciples. The teachings were brought to West Sumatra by Buya Muhammad Tayib in 1985. (jp/dar)