Building social harmony in difference: communication practices in Indonesia’s Eid al-Fitr determination

This practice note examines how differences in determining Eid al-Fitr between Muhammadiyah and the Indonesian government are communicated and negotiated in everyday Indonesian life. Using a reflective qualitative approach, it draws on literature-based analysis, public discourse observation, and contextual interpretation of recent incidents involving restrictions on Muhammadiyah Eid prayers. The note argues that religious difference does not automatically produce social rupture. In many communities, people continue to visit relatives, greet neighbours, and maintain social obligations even when Eid is observed on different days. These everyday gestures show how tolerance is practiced through respect, relational continuity, and mutual recognition. Yet recent restrictions also remind us that harmony is never automatic. It remains fragile, contested, and shaped by local power relations. From a communication for development perspective, the Indonesian case shows that social cohesion depends not on eliminating difference, but on the communicative capacity to negotiate it without escalating conflict.