MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA – Muhammadiyah has officially determined that 1 Shawwal 1446 AH falls on Monday, March 31, 2025. This decision follows the hisab hakiki wujudul hilal method, an astronomical calculation long used by the Muhammadiyah Council for Opinion and Tajdid to determine the beginning of Islamic months.
Under this method, a new month begins if these conditions are met: ijtimak (conjunction) occurs before sunset, the moon sets after the sun, and the upper part of the moon appears above the horizon at sunset. If any of these conditions are not met, the ongoing month is extended to 30 days.
For 1 Shawwal 1446 AH, calculations show that on Saturday, March 29, 2025, ijtimak will occur at 17:59:51 Western Indonesia Time. However, at sunset in Yogyakarta (07° 48′ S, 110° 21′ E), the moon’s position will still be at -01° 59′ 04², meaning the crescent (hilal) will not be visible.
Since the moon remains below the horizon across Indonesia, it does not meet the wujudul hilal criteria. As a result, Ramadan 1446 AH will be completed as a 30-day month, making Monday, March 31, 2025, the official start of Shawwal.
This announcement also marks a significant transition in Muhammadiyah approach to determining the Islamic calendar. Starting from 1447 AH, Muhammadiyah will adopt the Unified Global Hijri Calendar.
With the Unified Global Hijri Calendar system, the entire world will follow a single timeline (matlak) for the start of Hijri months, ensuring that all Muslims observe the same Islamic calendar dates. This change aims to strengthen unity among the global Muslim community, harmonize worship practices, and address the challenges of modern timekeeping.
