Kemenag Calculation Results: Crescent Moon Does Not Meet Criteria, Eid al-Fitr Falls on 21 March 2026

The Calculation and Sighting Team of the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) reported the results of monitoring the crescent moon’s position for determining 1 Syawal 1447 Hijriah or Eid al-Fitr 2026. Based on calculations, the crescent moon in Indonesian territory does not yet meet the criteria set by the Ministers of Religious Affairs from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore (MABIMS).

“We observed it. The image is clear, all magenta, all red. If the curves from all regions of the Unitary Republic of Indonesia are combined, they do not meet the MABIMS Qomariyah initial month criteria; the colour is magenta,” said a member of Kemenag’s Calculation and Sighting Team, Cecep Nurwendaya, during a seminar marking the start of the isbat session at Kemenag in Central Jakarta on Thursday (19/3/2026), as reported by detikNews.

He explained that although the crescent moon’s altitude in parts of Aceh has reached the minimum threshold of 3 degrees, its elongation does not meet the minimum requirement of 6.4 degrees. However, Cecep stated that MABIMS criteria require both the minimum altitude and elongation to be fulfilled.

“Therefore, the date of 1 Syawal 1447 Hijriah, according to MABIMS calculations, falls on Saturday Pahing, 21 March 2026 CE. The altitude is met, but the elongation is not. MABIMS requires both to be fulfilled. Both conditions are mandatory. No ‘or’, it’s ‘and’,” he said.

Nevertheless, Cecep noted that the calculation results are normative. He said that the determination of Syawal in Indonesia is based on sighting and calculation methods.

“This is calculation. Calculation is informative. We will then listen to the sighting results. Sighting is confirmation, sighting is verification. As we know, in Indonesia, the determination of the start of Ramadan, Syawal, and Dzulhijjah is typically based on sighting and calculation methods. So, the calculation is done; we await the sighting,” he said.

He continued that because it does not meet the criteria, the crescent moon is unlikely to be sighted. This is due to its position being below the visibility criteria.

“Theoretically, it is predicted not to be possible to sight it because its position is below the crescent moon visibility criteria at sunset,” he revealed.

It is noted that the determination of Eid al-Fitr will be discussed at the isbat session scheduled for 18:00-18:45 WIB. The announcement of the isbat session results will be officially delivered at 19:25 WIB.