MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, MAKASSAR— In a seminar on the Unified Global Hijri Calendar at Universitas Muhammadiyah Makassar on Sunday, January 28, Rahmadi Wibowo, a member of the Muhammadiyah Council for Fatwa and Islamic Renewa, argued that the day in Islam actually begins at midnight, not at sunset.He addressed the confusion that often arises among Muslims about the unified global hijri calendar, which begins the day at 00:00, unlike the Muslim practice of starting the day after sunset, based on the verse “wa lillahi masyriqu wal maghribu…” (To Allah belongs the east and the west).
Wibowo explained that the verse does not actually indicate that the day begins at sunset. In other words, there is no clear evidence that the day begins at sunset. He argued that it is more accurate to view the beginning of the day at midnight. He added that the time of sunset varies, so using the 180th meridian is more universally acceptable.
In addition, Wibowo highlighted the Muhammadiyah’s organizational principles that support the adoption of the unified global hijri calendar. He referred to the results of the 47th Muhammadiyah Congress (Muktamar) in 2015, which explicitly stated the need for efforts to unify the hijri calendar that is valid internationally. This would provide certainty and could be used as a transactional calendar on a global scale.
The second point raised by Wibowo was the results of the 48th Muhammadiyah Congress (Muktamar) in 2022, which adopted the Risalah Islam Berkemajuan (RIB/A Treatise on Progressive Islam) document. It includes a section on the service of progressive Islam, global service, and the role and responsibility of Muhammadiyah at the global level. One of the aspects covered is the effort to improve the international Islamic time system through the implementation of a unified global Islamic calendar.
By detailing these organizational foundations, Wibowo underscored that the unified global Islamic calendar initiative is not simply the view of an individual, but also has strong support from Muhammadiyah Congress decisions that lead to efforts to unify the hijri calendar globally. This proves that Muhammadiyah, as an Islamic organization in Indonesia, takes the issue of time in the international context seriously and views the unified global Islamic calendar as a positive step in this context.
