Ramadan 2026: Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs to Hold Isbat Determination on Feb 17
- JAKARTA – The Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs will convene an Isbat session on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, to officially determine the beginning of Ramadan 1447 Hijriah.
- The Ministry has released an agenda for the event, allowing the public to follow the proceedings.
- Rasjidi Auditorium in Jakarta, beginning in the afternoon and continuing with an official announcement in the evening.
Indonesia to Determine Start of Ramadan 2026 in Tuesday Isbat Session
JAKARTA – The Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs will convene an Isbat session on , to officially determine the beginning of Ramadan 1447 Hijriah. The session is a crucial step in establishing the date when Muslims across Indonesia will begin the month of fasting.
The Ministry has released an agenda for the event, allowing the public to follow the proceedings. The Isbat session is considered a significant moment for Indonesian Muslims, as its outcome dictates the start of one of the holiest months in the Islamic calendar.
The proceedings will take place at the H.M. Rasjidi Auditorium in Jakarta, beginning in the afternoon and continuing with an official announcement in the evening.
Isbat Session Schedule for 2026
The Ministry’s agenda begins at with a seminar on the position of the new moon (hilal). This seminar will present data from astronomical calculations and new moon sighting observations as the basis for consideration in determining the start of Ramadan.
The seminar will be live-streamed on the Bimas Islam TV YouTube channel, TikTok, and the Bimas Islam Instagram account, allowing public access to the scientific discussions informing the decision.
The Isbat session itself will commence at and will be closed to the public. During this session, the Ministry will collaborate with Islamic scholars, representatives from Islamic organizations, astronomers, and relevant government agencies to evaluate reports from new moon sighting locations across Indonesia and review the collected astronomical data.
The results of the Isbat session will be announced to the public through a press conference scheduled for . This press conference will also be live-streamed on the Kemenag RI YouTube channel, Bimas Islam TV, TikTok, and the Bimas Islam Instagram account.
According to a statement from the Ministry, the government is committed to ensuring a transparent and scientifically sound process for determining the start of Ramadan 2026, based on both scientific and Islamic principles.
Indonesian Muslims are encouraged to await the official announcement from the Ministry of Religious Affairs as the definitive reference for commencing the fast during Ramadan this year.
The determination of the start of Ramadan is based on a combination of hisab (astronomical calculations) and rukyatul hilal (direct moon sighting), a practice guided by Indonesian Ulema Council Fatwa No. 2 of 2004. This approach aims to reconcile scientific data with direct observation, ensuring a widely accepted and religiously sound decision.
This year, the Ministry plans to conduct the rukyatul hilal at 96 locations across Indonesia, an increase from previous years, to maximize the chances of accurately observing the new moon. The conjunction (ijtima) preceding Ramadan is expected to occur at on February 17, 2026, according to astronomical calculations.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs will lead the Isbat session, with Minister Nasaruddin Umar at the helm. Representatives from major Islamic organizations, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), embassies of Islamic countries, and officials from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) are also expected to attend.