JURIS (Jurnal Ilmiah Syariah) Vol. 22 No. 1, 2023: 53-67 ISSN: 1412-6109; E-ISSN: 2580-2763 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.31958/juris.v22i1.6570 Rukyat as Determination of the Lunar Month Beginning: A Method, Obstacles, and Debate in Indonesia Zufriani 1* , Asa’ari 1 , Jamal Mirdad 1 , Arzam 1 , Ahmad Izuddin 2 , Anwar M. Radiamoda 3 1 Institut Agama Islam Negeri Kerinci, Indonesia 2 Universitas Islam Negeri Walisongo Semarang, Indonesia 3 Mindanao State University, Philippines *Corresponding Author: zufrianistainkerinci@gmail.com Recieved: 01-07-2022 Revised: 05-06-2023 Accepted: 11-06-2023 Abstract: Two calendar systems are developing globally, namely the Syamsiyah system (solar system) and the Kamariah system (lunar system). The lunar system is a calendar used by Muslims and has utility in worship rituals based on the calendar period. Qur’an and Hadith have mentioned this completely, namely, one year consists of twelve months. This study aims to determine the determination of the beginning of the lunar month using the rukyat method and to determine the extent to which the implementation of the rukyat method can be accepted by the Indonesian people. The type of research in this article is qualitative research or also known as naturalistic research methods. The data analysis techniques used were condensation, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. The results of the study show that the rukyat method is one of the methods of determining the lunar month, which has been carried out since the time of the Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. and his companions, even today it is still used by Muslims around the world, including in Indonesia. Rukyat is a method of determining the beginning of the lunar month by paying attention to important matters and conditions. As for the obstacles of the sighting as determining the beginning of the lunar month, there are several factors, namely the eye of the observer, the shape of the new moon, weather, seeing, the height of the new moon, the distance of the bow and the observer’s psychology. Keywords: Rukyat; Determination; Kamariah (Lunar); Month Beginning Introduction n Southeast Asia itself, especially countries that are members of the Ministers of Religion Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore (MABIMS), issued a fundamental decision in 1991 regarding the theory of the visibility of the hilal (new moon), which requires the height of the hilal not less than 2 degrees, the elongation of not less than 3 degrees, and the age of the moon is not less than 8 hours. In practice, the use of MABIMS hilal visibility varies between members. Indonesia, which is considered the “bearer” of the MABIMS hilal visibility theory cumulatively and is waiting for the isbat (determination) trial to determine the beginning of Ramadan and Shawwal. Meanwhile, Malaysia and Singapore also use MABIMS hilal visibility with several considerations. Unlike the two previous countries, Brunei Darussalam uses the MABIMS hilal visibility to guide total hilal observation. This social fact often occurs regarding rukyat as the initial determination of the lunar month (Museumastronomi.com, 2012). In Indonesia, the development of rukyat al-hilal as a method of determining the beginning of the lunar month is believed to have entered Indonesia since Islam came to the Archipelago (Jayusman, 2015a, p. 2). Then the calendar is used in the kingdoms in Indonesia. Only when the Dutch arrived was the Lunar calendar replace the Gregorian calendar for state administration. In addition, the differentiation and multiculturalism of Islam in Indonesia also affect each Muslim’s different calendars. At least from historical records, the public commonly uses six lunar calendars. The first is the Javanese Islamic calendar compiled by Sultan Agung. Second, the Muhammadiyah calendar, which was initiated by KH. Ahmad Dahlan, the Tarjih Council, and Tajdid, the central leadership of Muhammadiyah in 1915 AD. Third, the I