MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA—Chairman of the Muhammadiyah Council for Tarjih and Tajdid Syamsul Anwar mentioned seven conditions to validate the arrangement of a single global Islamic calendar.
First, it requires a calendar. It is a means of organizing the calendar of days in a definite time. Therefore, it must be based on consistent calculation rules. From a practical point of view, the value of a calendar is determined by the ease of the calculation rule application.
Second, it has to have a lunar month. One month must not be less than 29 days or more than 30 days in the single global Islamic calendar. The number of months must be 12 months. According to Syamsul, the other crucial aspect is that it must be suitable for Muslims’ worldly life and worship rituals.
Third, it shows the new moon or conjunction. The Islamic calendar may not allow Muslims, wherever they are on earth, to have a new month before the new moon appears.
Fourth, it requires imkan rukyat. The Islamic calendar may not allow any Muslims, wherever they are on earth, to start a new month on a day that imkanu rukyat hilal on the previous day anywhere on earth does not occur.
Fifth, the mandatory requirement for starting a new month is because of rukyat. The Islamic calendar may not allow any Muslims, wherever they are on earth, not to begin a new month even though the new moon is visually visible on its horizon.
Sixth, it has to meet the unification condition. The single global Islamic Calendar is a unified calendar. This means that it can be applied to all Muslims in the world. Its application is not limited to what is usually called the “Islamic world” because Islam is a world religion suitable for all times and places. In other words, more firmly, this calendar must be able to unite all holidays and holidays of Muslims around the world.
Seventh, the requirement is globality. It must show the characteristic of the unified Islamic calendar that inevitably requires it to be in line with the universal time system.
“Those are the conditions for forming a single global Islamic calendar. Thus, it is impossible to apply Gurobi time because it is based on a local view and has inconsistent duration,” said Syamsul in the study of the book At-Taqwim al-Qamari al-Islami al-Muwahhad by Jamaluddin ‘Abd al-Raziq on Sunday (30/10).
