Technological Advancements Transforming Public Trust in Moon Sighting Decisions

Pepep Puad Muslim

doi:10.55927/fjst.v4i10.273

Authors

Pepep Puad Muslim Institut Nahdlatul Ulama (INU) Tasikmalaya

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55927/fjst.v4i10.273

Keywords:

Technological Advancements, Transforming, Public Trust, Moon Sighting Decisions

Abstract

This study explores how technological innovations, such as astronomical methods and digital observation tools, influence public trust and Islamic legal perspectives in determining the beginning of the Hijri months, particularly Ramadan and Shawwal. Using a normative-empirical approach combining doctrinal analysis and field interviews with scholars, Ministry of Religious Affairs officials, and community leaders in Tasikmalaya, the research finds that while modern technology enhances accuracy and efficiency in hilal determination, public trust also depends on religious authority legitimacy and inclusive decision-making. The study concludes that integrating technology represents the modernization of Islamic law practice, requiring greater institutional transparency and dialogue. It contributes theoretically to the interaction between Islamic law and modern science and offers practical recommendations for strengthening public trust in official Islamic calendar determinations.

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