MUI Highlights Prohibition on Announcing Eid Without Government Authority

Jakarta, VIVA – The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has emphasised that the determination of Eid is the government’s prerogative, even alluding to the prohibition against announcing the holiday independently outside official decisions.

This affirmation was delivered by the Deputy General Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council, Cholil Nafis, following the isbat session for determining 1 Syawal 1447 Hijriah at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Central Jakarta, on Thursday, 19 March 2025. Cholil stated that the decision was not based solely on astronomical calculations but also on fiqh studies and direct field observations.

“Alhamdulillah, the session was brief but rich in knowledge, as from the afternoon we examined it from a fiqh perspective, from the texts, and finally we observed the conditions in the field,” Cholil said after the Isbat session on Thursday, 19 March 2025.

He explained that the government has decided to complete Ramadan for 30 days. This is because, based on hisab, the position of the hilal does not meet visibility criteria, and based on rukyat, it was also not visible in the field.

“Because ‘da’ ma yuribuka ila ma la yuribuk’, leave what is doubtful, take what is certain. And what is certain is ensuring that the hisab calculation cannot be seen, ghairu imkanir rukyah, and in the field it truly cannot be seen,” he said.

Furthermore, Cholil Nafis touched on the legal aspects related to determining the start of Ramadan and Syawal. He cited the MUI decision from 2004, which affirms that the authority to announce major Islamic days lies with the government as ulil amri.

“In the Indonesian Ulema Council decision in 2004, it is stated that the authority to announce matters concerning the start of Ramadan and Eid lies with ulil amri, in this case the Ministry of Religious Affairs,” Cholil stressed.

He even added that in the Nahdlatul Ulama forum, there is a prohibition against announcing Eid independently outside the government’s decision.

“Likewise, the Nahdlatul Ulama decision at the 20th congress prohibits, and it is haram, to announce decisions on the start of Ramadan and Eid other than by the government,” Cholil continued.

According to him, the government’s decision is binding and aims to avoid division within the ummah. “Hukmul hakim ilzamun wa yarfa’ul khilaf. The ruler’s decision, in this case the government, is a binding law and can eliminate differences among us,” he explained.