Official! Government Sets Eid al-Fitr 1 Syawal 1447 H on Saturday, 21 March 2026

The Indonesian government, through the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag), has officially set Eid al-Fitr, 1 Syawal 1447 Hijriah, to fall on Saturday, 21 March 2026. This decision was taken based on the results of the Isbat Session held at the Kemenag office in Jakarta on Thursday (19/3). Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar stated that the determination was based on the hisab method and reports of rukyatul hilal from various points in Indonesia, which indicated that the new moon did not meet the criteria. “Based on hisab and the absence of a visible hilal, it was agreed that 1 Syawal 1447 Hijriah falls on Saturday, 21 March 2026,” said Minister Nasaruddin Umar during a press conference on the Isbat Session results in Jakarta on Thursday (16/3). Kemenag explained that the position of the hilal across all regions of Indonesia currently remains below the criteria set by the Ministers of Religious Affairs from Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore (MABIMS). Technically, the hilal’s altitude was observed between 0.91 degrees and 3.13 degrees, with an elongation angle of 4.54 degrees to 6.10 degrees. According to the MABIMS agreement, the start of a new Hijri month can be established if the hilal has a minimum altitude of 3 degrees and a minimum elongation of 6.4 degrees. Since these parameters were not met, the government applied the istikmal method, completing the month of Ramadan to 30 days. The Minister emphasised that the Isbat Session represents the presence of the state or ulil amri in facilitating Muslims to determine worship times that concern the well-being of the wider community. He hoped that all Muslims in Indonesia could celebrate Eid al-Fitr 1447 H with joy and use it as a momentum to strengthen national unity. The Minister also urged the public to maintain order and security during the victory celebrations. With this decision, Muslims in Indonesia will still perform the final Ramadan fast on Friday (20/3) and conduct Eid al-Fitr prayers on Saturday morning. In 2004, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) stated that the authority to announce the start of Ramadan and Eid lies with the ulil amri, which in Indonesia is the Ministry of Religious Affairs.