Between Text and Telescope: Fiqh-Science Dialectic in the Determination of the Indonesian Hijri Calendar

Abstract

The determination of the beginning of the month in the Hijri calendar in Indonesia often raises debates, especially between large religious organizations such as NU and Muhammadiyah, as well as government agencies such as the Ministry of Religion. This difference in views arises due to the diversity of methods and standards applied in the observation of the new moon as a marker of the beginning of the Hijri month. This paper examines the relationship between fiqh (Islamic law) and astronomy in determining the beginning of the Hijri month in Indonesia. Through a literature study that combines scientific and religious approaches, this paper identifies three forms of relationship between fiqh and science. First, astronomy plays a role in translating fiqh concepts into scientifically measurable criteria to determine the beginning of the Hijri month. This shows the interdependence between the two disciplines in making decisions based on religious values and empirical evidence. Second, the dynamics of determining the beginning of the Hijri month in Indonesia show a complex relationship between fiqh and science, with diverse perspectives from scholars and scientists on the standard of lunar observation. Third, fiqh serves to give legitimacy to astronomy in the practice of rukyatul hilāl (crescent moon observation) through a testimony system, where fiqh experts set the conditions of witnesses and use oaths to validate empirical scientific data that support the appearance of the moon. This paper presents an in-depth understanding of the complex relationship between fiqh and science in determining the beginning of the Hijri month in Indonesia.