Idul Adha Determination Session to be Held Today, with 88 Monitoring Points
The Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) will hold an Isbat session to determine the start of Zulhijjah 1447 Hijriah on Sunday (May 17th). This session for determining the beginning of the Hijri month will take place at the HM Rasjidi Auditorium, the service office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Jakarta.
The Isbat session is divided into three stages. The first agenda is a seminar on the position of the new moon at the beginning of Zulhijjah 1447 H, which begins at 4:30 PM and is open to the public. Next, the Isbat session will be held at 6:00 PM after the Magrib prayer in a closed setting. The results of the session will then be announced through a press conference at 7:00 PM.
The preparations for the implementation of the Isbat session were previously discussed in a Meeting on Strengthening and Preparing for Rukyatulhilal, which was attended by representatives from the Islamic Affairs Division and the Islamic Guidance Directorate of the Kemenag Provincial Offices throughout Indonesia online on May 5th, 2026.
The Director of Islamic Affairs and Sharia Guidance, Arsad Hidayat, emphasized the importance of inter-agency coordination in supporting the implementation of Rukyatulhilal.
“The implementation of Rukyatulhilal is not only a routine annual agenda but also part of religious service to the community. Therefore, coordination with BMKG (Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics), Religious Courts, Islamic mass organizations, and all related parties needs to be continuously strengthened,” said Arsad.
He explained that monitoring the new moon at the beginning of Zulhijjah this year will be carried out at 88 points spread across various regions of Indonesia. All of these monitoring points are expected to support the smooth running of the Isbat session being held today.
According to Arsad, the government continues to prioritize the Isbat session as a forum for joint deliberation in determining the beginning of the Hijri month. This approach is considered a characteristic of Indonesia in managing differences in religious views through dialogue and moderation.
“The government has astronomical calculations and the MABIMS imkanur rukyat criteria. However, before being announced to the public, all data and input are discussed together in the Isbat session so that the decisions made can be a common reference,” he said.
Arsad also mentioned that Minister of Religious Affairs Regulation (PMA) Number 1 of 2026 concerning the Implementation of the Isbat Session is an important basis for strengthening the governance of determining the beginning of the Hijri month. This regulation reinforces the Isbat session as a formal government forum involving Islamic mass organizations, academics, experts in astronomy, and related state institutions.
Furthermore, several regions have also reported their readiness to carry out Rukyatulhilal. The South Sulawesi Provincial Office of Kemenag, for example, will concentrate the new moon monitoring at the observatory of the Muslim University of Indonesia Makassar by involving BMKG, Religious Courts, and elements of Islamic mass organizations.
Meanwhile, the North Kalimantan Provincial Office of Kemenag stated that Rukyatulhilal would be carried out in Tarakan City with the support of BMKG, Religious Courts, Islamic mass organizations, and other community elements. The West Sulawesi Provincial Office of Kemenag ensures that new moon monitoring will still be carried out in Mamuju Regency, even though it will be held simply.
Similar readiness has also been reported from several other regions, such as North Maluku, Central Sulawesi, and various regions in eastern Indonesia. Most regions are said to have coordinated with BMKG and the local Religious Courts to ensure that the Rukyatulhilal process runs smoothly and orderly. (E-4)
The Isbat session for determining 1 Dzulhijjah takes place on Tuesday (May 27th) and is held by the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) to determine Eid al-Adha.
The GOVERNMENT has set 1 Zulhijah to fall on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. With that, 10 Zulhijah or the celebration of Eid al-Adha coincides with Friday, June 6, 2025
The existence of this difference further emphasizes the importance of a Single Global Hijri Calendar (KHGT) which has the principle of one day for the whole world.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) set 1 Zulhijah 1445 Hijri to fall on Saturday, June 8, 2024 AD while Eid al-Adha is on Monday, June 17, 2024.