“Each party has their own reasons, and they are equally valid. This is entirely possible,” he said after attending Eid al-Fitr prayers in Jakarta on Friday.
He then referenced the sermon delivered by Muhammad Quraish Shihab at the State Palace, noting that when one witnesses the month of Ramadan, they should fast.
Effendy explained that “witnessing” in Arabic is termed shahida, which can also mean calculating based on knowledge.
“Because our common sense dictates there is no God but Allah, we declare the shahada. It is the same principle here, this is a matter of methodological differences that I do not believe should be overemphasized,” he added.
He explained that Muhammadiyah has adopted a single global Hijri calendar, where the sighting of the new moon is now measured globally rather than only in a specific region.
He further noted that this year, the new moon happened to appear first in Alaska, and such a sighting is considered valid worldwide.
According to Effendy, respecting these differences aligns with the Eid al-Fitr sermon delivered at the site, which emphasized the importance of maintaining kinship with others.
Fadhil Mahdi, Head of Foreign Relations for the Muhammadiyah Student Association (DPP IMM), added that differences in Eid al-Fitr celebrations are not isolated events.
“Furthermore, Muhammadiyah has recently released a single global Hijri calendar. This is our way of sharing this methodology with all Muslims, from ordinary citizens to those in positions of authority,” he noted.
He provided an example of how the calendar can be used alongside the Masyayikh calendar, where the dates remain the same despite a difference of only a few hours.
He expressed hope that Muslims will adopt this approach so a standardized Hijri calendar can be applied to all months, including Ramadan, Shawwal, and Eid al-Adha.
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Translator: Mecca Yumna, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Arie Novarina
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