What Time Is the Isbat Session for the Start of Ramadan 2026? Check the Schedule
Tomorrow, the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) will hold the isbat session to determine the start of Ramadan 2026. The event will commence in the afternoon.
According to the Bimas Islam Kemenag website, the schedule for tomorrow’s isbat session is as follows:
- Day and date: Tuesday, 17 February 2026
- Time: Starting at 16:00 WIB (Western Indonesia Time)
- Venue: H.M. Rasjidi Auditorium, Ministry of Religious Affairs Office, Jakarta
The isbat session has a strong legal basis and legitimacy through Minister of Religious Affairs Regulation (PMA) No. 1 of 2026 on the Conduct of Isbat Sessions. The regulation governs the method for determining the start of Hijri months through the integration of hisab (astronomical calculation) and rukyatulhilal (new moon sighting), the MABIMS imkanur rukyat criteria, as well as the procedures for conducting isbat sessions in determining the start of Ramadan, Syawal, and Zulhijah.
Stages of the 1 Ramadan 2026 Isbat Session
Based on hisab data, the position of the hilal (new crescent moon) at sunset on 17 February 2026 across all Indonesian territories ranges from -2° 24.71’ to 0° 58.08’, with an elongation angle between 0° 56.39’ and 1° 53.60’.
“By calculation, this position does not yet meet the MABIMS hilal visibility criteria,” said Director of Islamic Religious Affairs and Sharia Development Arsad Hidayat.
Arsad added that the ijtimak (conjunction) is estimated to occur on 17 February 2026 at 19:01 WIB. This data serves as the initial basis for estimating the possibility of hilal visibility before being confirmed through rukyatulhilal observations at various monitoring points.
“All hisab data and rukyat results will be discussed in the isbat session before being officially determined by the Minister of Religious Affairs,” he said.
The following is the sequence of the isbat session for determining 1 Ramadan 2026:
- Presentation of hilal position data
- Receipt of rukyat reports
- Conduct of the determination session
- Announcement of results through a press conference
The isbat session will be attended by the Minister of Religious Affairs, the Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, the leadership of Commission VIII of the House of Representatives (DPR RI), the Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the Kemenag Hisab Rukyat Team, representatives of Islamic mass organisations, and ambassadors from friendly nations.
“We urge the public to await the government’s official decision. The isbat session is the official mechanism for determining the start of Ramadan in Indonesia,” Arsad concluded.
Government Prediction for the Start of Fasting 2026
Based on the Hijri Calendar published by the Ministry of Religious Affairs, 1 Ramadan 1447 H/2026 CE is estimated to fall on Thursday, 19 February 2026. This means the start of fasting is predicted to fall this week.
However, the government’s determination of the start of Ramadan remains subject to the isbat session. Therefore, the isbat session will be held on 17 February 2026 to officially determine 1 Ramadan 2026.