NU Urges 1 Syawal 1447 H to be Set on 21 March if Crescent Moon is Not Visible
Deputy Secretary of the Nahdlatul Ulama Falakiyah Institute (LFNU), Muh Ma’rufin Sudibyo, hopes that the government continues to follow the criteria of the Ministers of Religious Affairs from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore (MABIMS) for determining 1 Syawal 1447 H. Ma’rufin stated that the MABIMS criteria represent a joint agreement at the Southeast Asian level.
“Nahdlatul Ulama hopes that the government and the Minister of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia remain consistent with the MABIMS criteria. Because this is a product of a long-fought joint agreement at the Southeast Asian level, historically from 2012 until now,” said Muh Ma’rufin Sudibyo during a seminar that served as the opening for the Sidang Isbat at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Central Jakarta, on Thursday (19/3/2026).
Ma’rufin said that his side is still awaiting the decision of the Sidang Isbat. However, if the crescent moon is not visible, Ma’rufin urges the government to set 1 Syawal 1447 H on Saturday (21/3).
“We are ethically still awaiting the Isbat decision organised by the Government of the Republic of Indonesia. Then, if there are reports of the crescent moon being sighted, we will await the arguments from the Government of the Republic of Indonesia in the Sidang Isbat before issuing a statement,” said Ma’rufin.
“If the crescent moon is not visible, we will push for the completion of Ramadan, so that 1 Syawal coincides with Saturday, 21 March 2026, starting from Saturday night,” he added.
Results of Monitoring by the Hisab Rukyat Team
Previously, the Hisab Rukyat Team of the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) reported the monitoring of the crescent moon’s position this afternoon for determining Idul Fitri, 1 Syawal 1447 H, or Lebaran 2026. By hisab, the crescent does not meet the MABIMS criteria in Indonesian territory.
“We will see. The image is clear, all magenta, all red. If the curve from earlier is combined across the entire territory of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, it does not meet the initial Qomariyah month criteria of MABIMS; the colour is magenta,” said a member of the Kemenag Hisab Rukyat Team, Cecep Nurwendaya, during the seminar that served as the opening for the Sidang Isbat at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Central Jakarta, on Thursday (19/3).
Cecep said that the crescent’s position in parts of Aceh Province has met the minimum hilal height parameter of 3 degrees under MABIMS criteria, but it does not meet the minimum elongation parameter of 6.4 degrees. However, Cecep noted, MABIMS criteria require both to be fulfilled: minimum hilal height and elongation.
“Thus, the date of 1 Syawal 1447 Hijriah by MABIMS hisab falls on Saturday Pahing, 21 March 2026 CE. The height meets, but the elongation does not. Yet MABIMS requires both to be met. That is the mandatory requirement: both, not or, but and,” he stated.
Nevertheless, Cecep said that the hisab result is normative. Cecep explained that the determination of Syawal in Indonesia is based on rukyah and hisab methods.
“This is hisab. Hisab is informative. Later, we will listen to the results from rukyah. Rukyah is confirmation, rukyah is the verification. Because we know that in Indonesia, the determination of the start of Ramadan, Syawal, and Dzulhijjah months is conventionally based on rukyah and hisab methods. So, the hisab is already there; we await the rukyah,” he said.
He continued that because it does not meet the criteria, the crescent is unlikely to be sighted. As its position is below the criteria.
“Theoretically, it is predicted that it cannot be sighted because its position is below the hilal visibility criteria at sunset,” he revealed.
It is noted that the determination of Idul Fitri will be discussed at the Sidang Isbat to be held from 18:00 to 18:45 WIB. The announcement of the Sidang Isbat results will be officially delivered at 19:25 WIB.