The ongoing debate on the umm al-qura calendar in the global Islamic context

Abstract

The Umm al-Qura calendar is a universal Islamic calendar developed by the Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) in Saudi Arabia. It is a lunar calendar based on astronomical calculations and is followed by many countries, including those in the Arabian Peninsula and Europe. This calendar was created by observing and calculating the phases and movements of the moon to determine the beginning and end of Islamic months and Hijri years. This calendar contains two types of dates: civil dates to regulate Muslim life, and dates for religious events, including the beginning of Ramadan and Eid, which is vital for the Muslim communities. In addition to calculations, the Kingdom relies on the naked sighting of the crescent moon to determine sacred days, which is why official announcements sometimes do not coincide with the dates previously set in the calendar. This calendar has been controversial, especially since actual crescent sightings often align with the calendar, even if it is scientifically incorrect; hence, many countries have refrained from adopting it. However, Saudi Arabia still maintains that its aim is to establish a universal calendar that can unify Muslims globally. This qualitative research uses a descriptive and analytical approach to answer two questions. First, why do some Muslim communities accept the Umm al-Qura calendar while others reject it? Second, can the Umm al-Qura calendar unite Muslims on a universal calendar? This research draws data from secondary sources of books and articles related to the Umm al-Qura calendar. It will also rely on public sources such as media reports and articles published on the websites of crescent-sighting institutions.