Ministry of Religious Affairs Encourages Muslims to Perform Eclipse Prayer During Total Lunar Eclipse on 3 March

Jakarta — Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) has called upon Muslims to perform eclipse prayer (shalat khusuf al-qamar) during the total lunar eclipse scheduled for 3 March 2026, coinciding with 13 Ramadhan 1447 Hijriah.

“A lunar eclipse is a sign of God’s greatness. Therefore, we appeal to Muslims in regions experiencing it to perform eclipse prayer as an act of worship and self-reflection,” said Arsad Hidayat, Director of Islamic Religious Affairs and Islamic Law Development at Kemenag, when confirmed from Jakarta on Monday.

Based on astronomical data, the eclipse can be observed across all Indonesian regions at different times. The regions of North Sulawesi, Maluku, North Maluku, South-West Papua, West Papua, Papua, Central Papua, Highland Papua, and South Papua can observe it from the first Umbra contact at 17:49 WITA or 18:49 WIT until the fourth Umbra contact ends at 21:17 WITA or 22:17 WIT.

Regions including Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, North Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, West Sulawesi, South Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, South-East Sulawesi, and Gorontalo can observe the eclipse from the second Umbra contact at 18:03 WIB or 19:03 WITA until it ends at 20:17 WIB or 21:17 WITA.

Aceh and North Sumatra can observe it from the third Umbra contact at 19:03 WIB until it ends at 20:17 WIB.

Arsad requested that regional offices of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, religious leaders, Islamic scholars, heads of Islamic civil society organisations, mosque imams, and local governments facilitate the implementation of the eclipse prayer.

“We are instructing that the eclipse prayer implementation be properly coordinated and carried out in accordance with the estimated time of the eclipse in each region,” he said.

“Beyond performing the optional eclipse prayer, Muslims are encouraged to perform takbir and recite blessings upon the Prophet, increase dhikr and istighfar, give charity, and offer prayers for the safety and wellbeing of the nation and state,” he added.