Government Officially Sets Eid al-Adha for 27 May 2026
The determination of the first day of Dzulhijjah (the twelfth month in the Islamic calendar) was held at the HM Rasjidi Auditorium, Ministry of Religious Affairs office, Jalan MH Thamrin, Central Jakarta, on Sunday, 17 May 2026. The Minister of Religious Affairs, Nasaruddin Umar, led the meeting.
“Therefore, based on the results of calculations and reports regarding the sighting of the crescent moon, it has been agreed that the first day of Dzulhijjah 1447 Hijri will fall on Monday, 18 May 2026. Consequently, Eid al-Adha, which falls on the 10th of Dzulhijjah 1447 Hijri, will be celebrated on Wednesday, 27 May 2026,” said the Minister.
The meeting was attended by representatives from various Islamic organisations. The determination process took place in three stages: a presentation on the position of the crescent moon by the Ministry’s astronomical calculation and observation team, a closed-door meeting to determine the date involving leaders of Islamic organisations and related institutions, and a press conference announcing the results.
The Ministry’s astronomical calculation and observation team, led by Cecep Nurwendaya, previously stated that the position of the crescent moon throughout Indonesia had met the criteria. The elongation of the crescent moon in Indonesian territory also met the requirements.
“The position of the crescent moon throughout the archipelago has met the minimum height criterion of 3 degrees and the minimum elongation criterion of 6.4 degrees, so according to calculations, the first day of Dzulhijjah 1447 Hijri will coincide with Monday Kliwon, 18 May 2026,” said Cecep during a seminar on the position of the crescent moon.
“Therefore, the position of the crescent moon at the beginning of Dzulhijjah 1447 Hijri on this observation day is theoretically very likely to be visible,” he added.
The determination of the first day of Dzulhijjah was carried out by integrating astronomical calculations and observations. These two approaches complement each other in producing a comprehensive decision.