cover
Contact Name
Ahmad Izzuddin
Contact Email
alhilal@walisongo.ac.id
Phone
+6285201241033
Journal Mail Official
alhilal@walisongo.ac.id
Editorial Address
Gedung Dekanat Fakultas Syariah dan Hukum, UIN Walisongo Semarang Jl. Prof. Dr. Hamka, Tambakaji, Kec. Ngaliyan, Kota Semarang, Jawa Tengah 50185
Location
Kota semarang,
Jawa tengah
INDONESIA
Al-Hilal: Journal of Islamic Astronomy
ISSN : 27751236     EISSN : 27752119     DOI : https://doi.org/10.21580/al-hilal
Al-Hilal Journal is a scientific journal published in April and October per year by the Islamic Astronomy at the Faculty of Sharia and Law, Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Walisongo, Semarang colaboration with Asosisasi Dosen Falak Indonesia (ADFI). Articles published in this journal are the results of empirical research in Islamic Astronomy (such as qibla, salat times, Islamic Calendar, Eclipse and others), and its approaching on other area studies (mathematics, physics, astrophysics, social, politics, anthropology, ethnography and others). This journal has specifications as a medium of publication and communication of Islamic Astronomy ideas derived from theoretical and analytical studies, as well as research results in the field of both natural and social science. The editor hopes that writers, researchers and legal experts will contribute in this journal.
Articles 125 Documents
Islamic Prayer Time Calculation in High-Latitude Summer: A Computational Approach Using the Ittibāʿ Aqrab al-Bilād Method in Iceland Mayrisa Andriyani; Siti Nurwilda; Sofiyah Sofiyah; A’isyah Wulandari; Wahyu Ningtiyas Mergianti; Nurissaidah Ulinnuha
Al-Hilal: Journal of Islamic Astronomy Vol. 8 No. 1 (2026)
Publisher : Fakultas Syari'ah dan Hukum UIN Walisongo

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.21580/al-hilal.2026.8.1.29337

Abstract

Determining Islamic prayer times in high-latitude regions is challenging, particularly during summer when continuous twilight prevents the Sun from reaching required depression angles below the horizon. This condition causes conventional solar-angle-based methods to produce undefined (NaN) values for Fajr and Isha. This study proposes a computational approach to address this limitation using Reykjavik, Iceland, as a case study. Astronomical calculations based on solar position parameters are applied to determine Dhuhr, Asr, and Maghrib. At the same time, the ittibā’ aqrab al-bilād method is used to resolve Fajr and Isha by referencing London as the nearest region with normal day–night cycles. The method is implemented in a GUI-based prayer time calculator. Validation shows that the computed times have acceptable deviations, averaging 14–15 minutes compared to established applications, with larger discrepancies for Isha due to persistent twilight. This study offers a practical, computational, and jurisprudential solution to determining prayer times in extreme latitudes.
Assessing the Accuracy of Approximated Ephemeris Data for Prayer Time Calculations Emye Tegar Handhita; Marwa Marwa; Fatum Abubakar; Ziaulrahman Mushkalamzai; Muhammad Fadhly
Al-Hilal: Journal of Islamic Astronomy Vol. 8 No. 1 (2026)
Publisher : Fakultas Syari'ah dan Hukum UIN Walisongo

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.21580/al-hilal.2026.8.1.30892

Abstract

Prayer (ṣalāh) is an obligatory act of worship in Islam, with its timing determined by astronomical parameters derived from ephemeris data. Although many mobile applications are available to calculate prayer times, most depend on internet connectivity, limiting their usability in certain conditions. As an alternative, prayer times can be determined independently using the hisab method, which requires ephemeris data. This study proposes using approximated ephemeris data and evaluates its accuracy in prayer-time calculations. A quantitative computational approach was employed by developing a Microsoft Excel-based model to generate approximated ephemeris data and calculate prayer times. The approximated data were compared with official ephemeris data from the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Indonesia over one year (2026) across multiple locations. The results indicate that the approximated ephemeris data produce only minor deviations, resulting in prayer time differences of a few seconds. These findings demonstrate that the approximation method can be reliably used, and the developed Excel-based tool provides a practical solution for offline prayer time determination.
Qibla Direction Accuracy in Bangka Belitung Mosques: An Astronomical–Geospatial Study Reno Ismanto; Ahmad Fadholi; Priyanggo Karunia Rahman; Ahmad Zulpan
Al-Hilal: Journal of Islamic Astronomy Vol. 8 No. 1 (2026)
Publisher : Fakultas Syari'ah dan Hukum UIN Walisongo

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.21580/al-hilal.2026.8.1.30969

Abstract

Accurate Qibla orientation is essential for the validity of Muslim prayer; inconsistencies in both traditional and modern determination methods continue to produce significant inaccuracies, particularly in archipelagic regions. This study assesses the accuracy of Qibla direction in mosques across the Bangka Belitung Islands, Indonesia, and evaluates the methods used to determine it. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining field measurements of 70 mosques using the solar shadow (istiwā’ainī) method and GPS-based applications with semi-structured interviews. Measured orientations were compared with geodetically calculated azimuths, and spatial distribution patterns were analyzed using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The results show that only 30% of mosques are accurately aligned (≤2° deviation), while 54% are less accurate and 16% are significantly misaligned (>10°). GIS-based analysis reveals spatial variability in deviation patterns, indicating unequal access to technical knowledge and measurement tools. This study contributes to integrating astronomical, geodetic, and geospatial approaches for Qibla determination and highlights the need for standardized verification practices in geographically fragmented regions.
Rashd al-Qiblah in the Pesantren Tradition of Islamic Astronomy: The Contribution of Muhammad Faqih Maskumambang Susiknan Azhari
Al-Hilal: Journal of Islamic Astronomy Vol. 8 No. 1 (2026)
Publisher : Fakultas Syari'ah dan Hukum UIN Walisongo

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.21580/al-hilal.2026.8.1.31230

Abstract

This article examines Muhammad Faqih Maskumambang's contribution to the transmission and practice of Rashd al-Qiblah within the pesantren tradition of Islamic astronomy in Java. Using a qualitative approach through historical-textual analysis and intellectual history, this study analyzes the socio-religious context of qibla determination in early twentieth-century pesantren communities and the role of Rashd al-Qiblah as a practical observational method. The study finds that Rashd al-Qiblah in pesantren traditions functioned not only as a technique for determining qibla orientation, but also as a medium for religious education, communal participation, and the transmission of practical astronomical knowledge. Unlike many contemporary studies that focus primarily on computational accuracy and digital verification, this article highlights the social and educational dimensions of observational astronomy in Indonesia. The study argues that Muhammad Faqih Maskumambang's contribution reflects the adaptive character of pesantren-based Islamic astronomy in mediating between scientific observation, religious authority, and everyday ritual practice in Muslim society.
Reconstructing al-Farghānī’s Southern Astrolabe: A Philological and Astronomical Study for Equatorial Observations in Indonesia Fajrullah Fajrullah; Nur Faizah
Al-Hilal: Journal of Islamic Astronomy Vol. 8 No. 1 (2026)
Publisher : Fakultas Syari'ah dan Hukum UIN Walisongo

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.21580/al-hilal.2026.8.1.31866

Abstract

This study reconstructs al-Farghānī’s concept of the southern astrolabe through an interdisciplinary approach combining Arabic philology and computational astronomy. Focusing on the sixth chapter (al-Naw’ al-Sādis) of Kitāb al-Asturlāb, the research aims to examine the technical relevance of the southern astrolabe for equatorial observations in Indonesia. The study employs philological methods, including codicological description, transliteration, textual emendation, and annotated translation, integrated with stereographic projection analysis and astronomical computation. The findings demonstrate that the conventional northern astrolabe produces severe geometric distortion when representing southern celestial objects at low latitudes, causing major navigational stars to fall beyond the instrument’s physical limits. In contrast, the southern astrolabe provides a proportional projection of southern stars within the equatorial circle, making it more suitable for observers in the Indonesian archipelago. This study contributes to the historiography of Islamic astronomy by demonstrating the continued scientific relevance of al-Farghānī’s geometrical framework for contemporary equatorial Islamic astronomy studies.

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