Crescent Moon Observation for Start of Ramadan to Be Held Tomorrow
The Ministry of Religious Affairs will conduct a crescent moon observation (rukyatul hilal) to mark the beginning of Ramadan 1447 H on Tuesday, 17 February 2026. The observation will be carried out at 96 locations across Indonesia.
The results of the crescent moon observation will be discussed in an isbat session for the start of Ramadan 1447 H, to be held at the Ministry of Religious Affairs office in Jakarta tomorrow.
Director General of Islamic Community Guidance at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Abu Rokhmad, said the isbat session brings together hisab (astronomical calculation) data with the results of the crescent moon observation.
"The government is endeavouring to ensure that the determination of the start of Ramadan is conducted scientifically, transparently, and involves all relevant parties," said Abu Rokhmad in a statement quoted from the official MUI website on Tuesday, 17 February 2026.
Based on hisab calculations, the ijtimak (conjunction) preceding Ramadan 1447 H occurs on Tuesday, 17 February 2026, at 19:01 WIB. The position of the crescent moon at sunset across all Indonesian territories lies below the horizon, with altitudes ranging from -2° 24 minutes 42 seconds to -0° 58 minutes 47 seconds, and elongation angles from 0° 56 minutes 23 seconds to 1° 53 minutes 36 seconds.
This data accords with the visibility criteria used (such as MABIMS), meaning the crescent moon does not yet theoretically meet the conditions for visibility.
To complement the hisab data, the Ministry of Religious Affairs is conducting crescent moon observations at 96 locations spread across Indonesia. These observations are carried out by provincial offices of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and district/city offices, in cooperation with Religious Courts, Islamic mass organisations, and other relevant agencies. The observation results from all these points serve as the primary material for discussion in the isbat session.
Abu Rokhmad added that the final decision on the determination of 1 Ramadan 1447 H will be officially announced following the conclusion of the session through a press conference.
"We will discuss the hisab and observation results together. The final decision will be conveyed to the public to serve as a shared guideline for Muslims in Indonesia," he said.
The isbat session will be attended by various parties, including ambassadors from friendly nations, the Chair of Commission VIII of the House of Representatives, representatives of the Supreme Court, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the Geospatial Information Agency (BIG), the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), the Bosscha Observatory at ITB, Jakarta Planetarium, falak (Islamic astronomy) experts from various Islamic organisations, leaders of Islamic community organisations, Islamic boarding schools, and the Ministry of Religious Affairs' Hisab Rukyat Team.
The results of the crescent moon observation will be discussed in an isbat session for the start of Ramadan 1447 H, to be held at the Ministry of Religious Affairs office in Jakarta tomorrow.
Director General of Islamic Community Guidance at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Abu Rokhmad, said the isbat session brings together hisab (astronomical calculation) data with the results of the crescent moon observation.
"The government is endeavouring to ensure that the determination of the start of Ramadan is conducted scientifically, transparently, and involves all relevant parties," said Abu Rokhmad in a statement quoted from the official MUI website on Tuesday, 17 February 2026.
Based on hisab calculations, the ijtimak (conjunction) preceding Ramadan 1447 H occurs on Tuesday, 17 February 2026, at 19:01 WIB. The position of the crescent moon at sunset across all Indonesian territories lies below the horizon, with altitudes ranging from -2° 24 minutes 42 seconds to -0° 58 minutes 47 seconds, and elongation angles from 0° 56 minutes 23 seconds to 1° 53 minutes 36 seconds.
This data accords with the visibility criteria used (such as MABIMS), meaning the crescent moon does not yet theoretically meet the conditions for visibility.
To complement the hisab data, the Ministry of Religious Affairs is conducting crescent moon observations at 96 locations spread across Indonesia. These observations are carried out by provincial offices of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and district/city offices, in cooperation with Religious Courts, Islamic mass organisations, and other relevant agencies. The observation results from all these points serve as the primary material for discussion in the isbat session.
Abu Rokhmad added that the final decision on the determination of 1 Ramadan 1447 H will be officially announced following the conclusion of the session through a press conference.
"We will discuss the hisab and observation results together. The final decision will be conveyed to the public to serve as a shared guideline for Muslims in Indonesia," he said.
The isbat session will be attended by various parties, including ambassadors from friendly nations, the Chair of Commission VIII of the House of Representatives, representatives of the Supreme Court, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the Geospatial Information Agency (BIG), the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), the Bosscha Observatory at ITB, Jakarta Planetarium, falak (Islamic astronomy) experts from various Islamic organisations, leaders of Islamic community organisations, Islamic boarding schools, and the Ministry of Religious Affairs' Hisab Rukyat Team.