January 30, 2026 | 10:44 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs will hold an isbat session on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, to determine the start of Ramadan 1447 Hijri, the Islamic fasting month observed by Muslims worldwide.
The meeting will be led by Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar and will take place at the H.M. Rasjidi Auditorium at the ministry’s headquarters in Jakarta.
Director General of Islamic Community Guidance Abu Rokhmad said the session is scheduled to be attended by representatives of major Islamic organizations, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), embassies of Islamic countries, and officials from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).
Representatives from Indonesia’s House of Representatives and the Supreme Court are also expected to attend.
Abu Rokhmad explained that the isbat session consists of three main stages. The first is the presentation of astronomical calculations on the position of the new moon. This is followed by verification of moon-sighting observations conducted at 37 locations across Indonesia.
“The process concludes with deliberations and a decision, which will then be officially announced to the public,” Abu Rokhmad said, as quoted from a ministry statement on Friday, January 30, 2026.
He added that Indonesia determines the start of Ramadan, as well as Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, by integrating hisab (astronomical calculation) and rukyah (direct moon sighting).
This approach is based on Indonesian Ulema Council Fatwa No. 2 of 2004, which governs the determination of the beginning of Ramadan, Shawwal, and Dzulhijjah.
Under the fatwa, the Minister of Religious Affairs is required to consult with the Indonesian Ulema Council, Islamic organizations, and other relevant institutions before making an official decision.
Abu Rokhmad urged the public to await the outcome of the isbat session and the government’s formal announcement on the start of Ramadan 1447 Hijri.
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