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REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — The Minister of Religious Affairs of Indonesia, Prof Nasaruddin Umar announced the beginning of Ramadan 2026/ 1447 H coinciding on Thursday (19/2/2026).
Thus, Muslims will perform the Tarawih prayer starting Wednesday evening. This determination was taken after considering the results of the crescent position assessment and the report of the hilal rukyatul in various regions of Indonesia.
“Based on hisab and no one has seen the crescent moon, then one Ramadan 1447 H/ 2026 AD falls on Thursday, February 19, 2026,” Nasaruddin said in a press conference after the Isbat session on Tuesday (17/2/2026) evening.
Thus, the start of Ramadan established by this government is different from the Muhammadiyah decree that had set the beginning of Ramadan 2026 first.
Muhammadiyah, through its information, has established that 1 Ramadan 1447 AH falls on Wednesday (18/2/2026).
The decision of this government's Isbat session was taken after considering the results of the hilal position assessment and the hilal rukyatul report in various regions of Indonesia. Of the 96 crescent monitoring points held by the Ministry of Health, not a single officer saw the crescent.
Met before the Isbat Session, Menag explained about the differences in the beginning of Ramadan that occurred this year. According to him, Indonesia has experienced the differences in setting the beginning of Ramadan in previous years without causing social conflicts.
“Indonesia remains in harmony and has experienced the difference in determining one Ramadan in the previous year. We are experienced in being united in the midst of differences,” he said in his remarks in Jakarta, Tuesday(17/2/2026)
Nasaruddin hopes the public doesn't get caught up in an unproductive debate. “I hope there is no debate in society. Let us live together in the midst of differences,” he said.
He also alluded to the development of the idea of a Single Global Hijri Calendar (KHGT) which is beginning to be pushed in a number of countries and international forums such as the OIC, which uses a global visibility approach.
But for now, Indonesia is sticking to the criteria agreed with MABIMS as the basis for official government determination. The early determination session of Ramadan was led directly by the Minister of Religious Affairs. Director General of the Islamic Community Guidance (Bimas) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abu Rokhmad said that the trial involved various parties, from representatives of Islamic social organizations to state institutions.
The Isbat session was attended by a number of parties, representatives of Islamic ormas, representatives of embassies of Islamic countries, MUI, BMKG, Falak experts, Parliament and representatives of the Supreme Court.
