MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA — Member of the Muhammadiyah Council for Fatwa and Islamic Renewal, Maesyaroh and Anisah Budiwati, discussed various hijri calendars and the importance of a global hijri calendar at a national seminar on Friday (January 5).
Maesyaroh presented an overview of the different hijri calendars used by Muslims around the world, including the Ilyas Calendar, Nidlal Qassum, Universal Hijriah, ISESCO, Ummul Qura, and the Istanbul Decision Calendar. She highlighted the importance of calendars in Muslim life, both as a record of phenomena, a standard for transactions, and a tool for reconstructing personal records.
Maesyaroh explained that the functions of the hijri calendar can be divided into two aspects: religious and transactional. In the context of religion, the calendar determines the timing of various religious activities, while in the context of transactions, it serves as a reference for business and daily activities.
“The hijri calendar is a necessity for Muslims as a time organizer,” said Maesyaroh. She stressed that the existence of a calendar that can provide certainty of time well in advance is important, especially in the context of religious activities, such as fasiting on the day of Arafah.
Maesyaroh suggested the adoption of a global hijri calendar, which would be applied simultaneously around the world with the principle of one day, one date. This would help to accommodate the interests of Muslims, particularly in the context of the day of Arafah, and create a uniform framework for all Muslims around the world.
Anisah Budiwati, a Muhammadiyah expert in astronomy, also discussed crucial aspects related to the understanding of the global hijri calendar. Her focus was on the concept of the beginning of the day, the international date line, and how these two elements affect the implementation of the global hijri calendar.
Anisah explained that in order to understand the global hijri calendar, it is essential to have a strong understanding of the concept of the beginning of the day and the international date line. In this context, she explained the Earth’s coordinate system, time zones, hours and the beginning of the day, and the role of the International Date Line (IDL).
According to Anisah, the IDL is a system of time that is applied by agreement around the world. Understanding the IDL is crucial because it has a direct relationship with the KHGT. The IDL is used to determine the criteria for the visibility of the new moon in various locations around the world, which is one of the principles of the global hijri calendar.
The first condition of the global hijri calendar is the occurrence of ijtimak (conjunction of the moon) in a location anywhere in the world. The second condition is the beginning of the new month when, in every part of the Earth before 12:00 GMT, certain criteria have been met, such as a minimum elongation of 8 degrees and a minimum height of the moon above the horizon at sunset of 5 degrees. This 12:00 GMT also has a connection to the IDL.
A deep understanding of the IDL is key to formulating the global hijri calendar. Anisah Budiwati emphasized the importance of these elements in achieving the certainty of time required in the context of developing a global calendar for Muslims.
Overall, the presentations at the seminar provided a holistic and in-depth overview of the various aspects involved in the implementation of the global hijri calendar .
