Indonesia Applies New Criteria for the Beginning of Hijri Month

Jakarta, MINA – The Ministry of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia applies new criteria in determining the beginning of the Hijri month starting in 2022.

The criteria refer to the agreement between the Ministers of Religion of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore (MABIMS) in 2021.

Indonesian Ministry of Religion initially applied the criteria for the early Hijri hilal (month) to be at a height of 2 degrees, an elongation of 3 degrees, and the age of the moon is 8 hours.

Meanwhile, MABIMS agreed to change the criteria to a hilal height of 3 degrees and an elongation of 6.4 degrees.

The agreement was marked by the signing of a joint letter ad referendum in 2021 regarding the use of the new criteria for MABIMS in Indonesia starting in 2022.

“The new MABIMS criteria are the result of the 2016 MABIMS Muzakarah and Islamic Takwim in Malaysia which was strengthened by the Falak Fiqh International Seminar in Jakarta which resulted in the 2017 Jakarta Recommendation. MABIMS member countries,” said Director General of Islamic Guidance at the Ministry of Religion Kamaruddin Amin in his official statement. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)