Start of Ramadan Set for Thursday 19 February 2026 as Ministry of Religious Affairs Confirms Crescent Position Falls Short of MABIMS Criteria

Jakarta — The Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) has announced that the crescent moon (hilal) position across all regions of Indonesia on Tuesday 17 February 2026 did not meet the hilal visibility criteria agreed upon by MABIMS member states (Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore), based on astronomical calculations.

Cecep Nurwendaya, a member of Kemenag’s Hisab Rukyat (Astronomical Calculation and Observation) Team, said the hilal position across Indonesian territory at the time of observation ranged from minus 2 degrees 24 minutes 43 seconds to minus 0 degrees 55 minutes 41 seconds, with elongation between 0 degrees 56 minutes 23 seconds and 1 degree 53 minutes 36 seconds.

“Therefore, the 1st of Ramadan 1447 Hijriah, according to astronomical calculation, falls on Thursday Pahing, 19 February 2026,” Cecep explained in Jakarta on Tuesday 17 February 2026.

He noted that the MABIMS criteria stipulate a minimum hilal altitude of 3 degrees and a minimum elongation of 6.4 degrees. Given the observed position, the hilal was theoretically declared impossible to sight, as it remained below the horizon at sunset.

The Indonesian government has long employed both hisab (astronomical calculation) and rukyat (physical sighting) methods in determining the start of Hijriah months, particularly for Ramadan, Syawal and Zulhijah. Hisab serves as preliminary information, whilst rukyat provides confirmation during the Isbat Session, which involves various parties including astronomy experts, representatives of Islamic mass organisations and relevant government agencies.

The Isbat Session was held at Hotel Borobudur in Jakarta on Tuesday to officially determine the start of Ramadan. At the time, Kemenag was still awaiting hilal observation reports from 96 monitoring points across Indonesia.

The session proceedings began with a seminar on the hilal position at 16:30 Western Indonesian Time (WIB), attended by astronomers and falak (Islamic astronomy) experts. The Isbat Session itself was conducted behind closed doors at 18:30 WIB, with results announced via a press conference at approximately 19:05 WIB.

The event was attended by representatives of foreign ambassadors, Commission VIII of the House of Representatives (DPR RI), the Supreme Court of the Republic of Indonesia, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), as well as experts from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) and the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN).

Also present were academics from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), planetarium representatives, members of Kemenag’s Hisab Rukyat Team, falak experts from various Islamic community organisations, and leaders of Islamic mass organisations and Islamic boarding schools.