Isbat Session Held Today, Start of Ramadan Expected to Differ

The Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) held an isbat session to determine the start of the month of Ramadan 1447 Hijriah on Tuesday (17 February).

According to information from the official account of the Directorate General for Islamic Community Guidance (Ditjen Bimas Islam) at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the isbat session to establish 1 Ramadan was scheduled to coincide with 29 Syaban 1447 Hijriah.

The session was held at the H.M. Rasjidi Auditorium at the Ministry of Religious Affairs offices in Jakarta, commencing at 16:00 Western Indonesian Time (WIB).

The session was led by Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar and attended by the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, the leadership of Commission VIII of the House of Representatives (DPR RI), the Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the Ministry’s Hisab and Rukyat Team, representatives of Islamic organisations, and ambassadors from friendly nations.

Director General of Bimas Islam Abu Rokhmad stated that the government employs an integrated approach combining hisab (astronomical calculation) and rukyatul hilal (moon sighting) in determining the start of Hijriah months.

He explained that the isbat session comprises three stages: the presentation of hilal position data based on astronomical calculations, verification of rukyatul hilal results from 37 observation points across Indonesia.

“Following that, deliberation and decision-making are announced to the public,” he said.

The isbat session is held annually to determine the start of the month of Ramadan in accordance with Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Fatwa Number 2 of 2004 concerning the Determination of the Start of Ramadan, Syawal, and Zulhijjah.