Ramadan Start Date Differs: Government Sets 19 February, Muhammadiyah 18 February

The government has determined that 1 Ramadan 1447 Hijriah falls on Thursday 19 February 2026, as decided during the Isbat Session held at Hotel Borobudur, Jakarta, on Tuesday 17 February.

Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar stated that the hilal, or new crescent moon, had not been sighted anywhere in Indonesia that evening. Consequently, the government set 1 Ramadan as falling on 19 February.

“It has been agreed that 1 Ramadan 1447 Hijriah falls on Thursday 19 February 2026,” Nasaruddin said following the Isbat Session.

Nasaruddin explained that the hilal’s position had not met the crescent visibility criteria (imkanur rukyat) used by Indonesia together with fellow MABIMS member states (Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore).

The MABIMS criteria require a minimum hilal altitude of 3 degrees above the horizon at sunset and a minimum elongation (angular distance between the moon and the sun) of 6.4 degrees.

“We certainly all hope that this decision will enable Muslims to observe the Ramadan fast together,” he said.

The government’s decision means the start of Ramadan this year differs from that set by the Muhammadiyah Central Leadership, which had determined that 1 Ramadan 1447 Hijriah would fall on Wednesday 18 February 2026.

As quoted from its official website, Muhammadiyah astronomy expert Arwin Juli Rakhmadi Butar-Butar explained the reasoning behind Muhammadiyah’s determination of Ramadan commencing on Wednesday.

Firstly, Muhammadiyah officially set 1 Ramadan 1447 H as falling on 18 February, as stipulated in Muhammadiyah Central Leadership Proclamation Number 2/MLM/I.0/E/2025 and the Tarjih and Tajdid Council Explanation Number 01/MLM/I.1/B/2025.

This determination uses the Unified Global Hijri Calendar (KHGT) as a new method that has now become Muhammadiyah’s official reference, replacing the previously used wujudul hilal method.

“Secondly, the implementation of KHGT requires the integration of three main elements known as Principles, Conditions, and Parameters (PSP). One important parameter is the fulfilment of the hilal’s position after conjunction with a minimum altitude of 5 degrees and elongation of 8 degrees anywhere on the Earth’s surface, not limited to a specific territory,” Arwin said, as quoted from Muhammadiyah’s official website on Tuesday 17 February.

After sunset on that day, the hilal position meeting the KHGT parameters was achieved in the Alaska region, leading Muhammadiyah to set the following day, Wednesday 18 February 2026, as the start of Ramadan.

“For the start of Ramadan 1447 H, these parameters were met in Alaska, United States, with a hilal altitude of 05° 23’ 01” and elongation of 08° 00’ 06”,” Arwin said.

Meanwhile, Muhammadiyah Central Leadership Chairman Haedar Nashir urged Muslims to respond wisely and with tolerance should there be a difference in the start of fasting for 1 Ramadan 1447 Hijriah.

“This is a space for ijtihad, so there is certainly no need to blame one another, and no one should feel that they alone are correct,” Haedar said on Tuesday 17 February.

Haedar called for focus on substantive matters — on how fasting can become a path for every Muslim to truly attain piety.

He said various issues should not be allowed to disturb the primary goal of achieving taqwa. He hoped that Ramadan 1447 H could be observed by Muslims calmly, peacefully, and with maturity, undisturbed by the commotion of life, including differences over the start of Ramadan.

“In a broader context, it is hoped that Ramadan will make us the best of communities — excellent in spirituality, ever faithful and pious before God, as well as in ever-advancing knowledge and the spreading of ever-wider goodness,” Haedar said.

Separately, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) researcher Thomas Djamaluddin had predicted that the start of fasting between the government and Muhammadiyah would differ.

Muhammadiyah had set 1 Ramadan as falling on Wednesday 18 February well in advance, whilst the government only just determined the start of Ramadan as Thursday 19 February.

“This time the difference is unlike previous ones, which arose from differing methods (calculation versus observation) or differing criteria (Wujudul Hilal versus Imkan Rukyat). This time the difference is because of global hilal versus local hilal,” Thomas said.