Muhammadiyah Determines Eid al-Fitr Falls on 20 March 2026

The determination of the beginning of Shawwal 1447 AH was made with reference to Decision 32 of Muhammadiyah’s National Tarjih Deliberation regarding the Global Unified Islamic Calendar (KHGT). This decision establishes global criteria that achieve the unification of the Islamic month’s commencement worldwide based on astronomical parameters satisfied in any region.

Hamim Ilyas, Chairman of the Tarjih and Renewal Council of PP Muhammadiyah, explained the KHGT criteria used as reference as follows:

“First, the entire world is considered one unified region of moon sighting; the new month begins simultaneously. Second, the new month begins when anywhere in the world before 24:00 UTC has met the criteria of 8° elongation and 5° lunar altitude at sunset,” Ilyas stated.

“Third, if the criteria are met after 24:00 UTC, the new month still begins on condition that: the parameters are met somewhere on the American continent and the conjunction occurs before dawn in New Zealand,” he added.

Astronomical data obtained demonstrates that all KHGT criteria for Shawwal 1447 AH have been satisfied, therefore 1 Shawwal 1447 AH falls on Friday, 20 March 2026.

The astronomical data forming the basis of determination are:

1. Conjunction occurred on Thursday, 19 March 2026, at 01:23:28 UTC.

2. The first location meeting the parameters at coordinates 64° 59’ 57.47” North, 42° 3’ 3.47” East shows:

   1. Local sunset at 18:12:15 (UTC+3) or 15:24:03 UTC.

   2. Lunar altitude: 6.49° (exceeding 5°).

   3. Lunar elongation: 8° (meeting 8°).

3. The Global Calendar parameters are also satisfied in the Mecca region, Saudi Arabia (Latitude 21° 25’ 22” North, Longitude 39° 49’ 31” East, Zone +3) with conditions:

   1. Sunset at 18:34:04 local time (15:34:04 UTC).

   2. Geocentric lunar altitude at sunset: +06° 09’ 09” (exceeding 5°).

   3. Geocentric elongation: 08° 05’ 24” (exceeding 8°).

4. Dawn time in New Zealand was recorded on Thursday, 19 March 2026, at 16:50:02 UTC.

Based on available astronomical data, the main criteria of the Global Unified Islamic Calendar (KHGT) have been satisfied. The geocentric elongation parameter reaching 8° and lunar altitude reaching 5° have also been satisfied in the Mecca region and other locations before 24:00 UTC. In Mecca, sunset occurs at 15:34:04 UTC with lunar altitude +06° 09’ 09” and elongation 08° 05’ 24”, exceeding the thresholds established.

As confirmation, data from the first hilal location also show lunar altitude value of 6.49° and elongation of 8°, which further reinforces that KHGT parameters have been met globally.

Therefore, based on astronomical data satisfying KHGT criteria, namely the existence of regions in the world (Mecca and others) experiencing 8° elongation and 5° lunar altitude at sunset before 24:00 UTC, it is determined that 1 Shawwal 1447 AH falls on Friday, 20 March 2026.

This determination applies globally as the beginning of Shawwal month, unifying all regions of the world within one Islamic calendar.

Muhammadiyah views the unification of the global Islamic calendar as an inevitability that cannot be postponed, rather than merely an ideal concept far from reality. The implementation of KHGT becomes a tangible manifestation of this commitment and an open invitation to all elements of the global Muslim community to study and adopt it.

“The implementation of KHGT is an effort to settle a civilisational debt of Islam that has lasted fourteen centuries,” he stated.

Throughout this period, the global Muslim community has lacked a unifying calendar system, frequently becoming trapped in uncertainty regarding global-scale time coordination.