MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA – Secretary of the Muhammadiyah Council for Religious Opinion and Tajdid Rofiq Muzakkir informed that Muhammadiyah is set to launch the Unified Global Hijri Calendar by the end of June 2025. This initiative is Muhammadiyah response to the growing need for a unified timekeeping system in the global Muslim community.
Once launched, the Unified Global Hijri Calendar will become Muhammadiyah official reference for marking time, particularly for religious observances. Rofiq explained that this new calendar reflects a broader shift in Muhammadiyah way of thinking about Islam and modernity.
“This change isn’t just about technical details. It represents a new way of thinking, a new way of practicing Islam. We view the Unified Global Hijri Calendar as a clear expression of Muhammadiyah commitment to renewal and reform,” said Rofiq on Thursday, May 22.
Rofiq pointed out that the idea of the Unified Global Hijri Calendar reflects the vision of Ahmad Dahlan, the founder of Muhammadiyah, who envisioned the organization as a movement of reform (tajdid). For Muhammadiyah, the calendar is part of its ongoing effort to modernize and respond to contemporary challenges.
Although the Unified Global Hijri Calendar will be officially used starting in the Islamic year of 1447 AH, Muhammadiyah, particularly the Council, have begun the studies on the calendar since 2008. The process has involved extensive discussions, both within Indonesia and internationally.
According to Rofiq, the Muslim world has yet to adopt a truly global Islamic calendar.
“We’ve had local or regional calendars, but never one that unites Muslims worldwide,” said Rofiq.
Rofiq criticized existing methods such as hisab urfi (arithmetic calculations), explaining that they are too rigid.
“For example, Ramadan is always counted as 30 days, but that doesn’t reflect Islamic teachings or astronomical facts. The Prophet taught that fasting could be 29 or 30 days, and astronomy shows the lunar cycle doesn’t always last 30 days,” said Rofiq.
Rofiq believes the Unified Global Hijri Calendar will make it easier to determine the beginning of each month in the Islamic calendar, removing the uncertainty that currently exists. It could also help end disagreements about major religious dates such as Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha.
Rofiq added that having a unified Islamic calendar will help Muslims avoid the current divide between religious and civil timekeeping.
“Right now, we use the Hijri calendar for worship and the Gregorian calendar—based on the birth of Jesus Christ—for civil matters. That split no longer makes sense,” he said.
“As Islam becomes a truly global religion, our time system also needs to be global. We need a shared understanding of time,” he added.
Muzakkir, a graduate of the Department of Religious Studies of Arizona State University, concluded by saying that the Unified Global Hijri Calendar is a long-overdue step for the Muslim world.
“This calendar is a demand of civilization that we must answer. Muhammadiyah is taking responsibility to lead the way,” said Rofiq.
