Indonesian Government Officially Sets Ramadan to Begin on Feb. 19

Farah Salsabila Editor : Sajadi - Tuesday, 17 February 2026 - 20:55 WIB

Tuesday, 17 February 2026 - 20:55 WIB

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Jakarta, MINA – The Indonesian government has officially declared that the first day of Ramadan 1447 AH will fall on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar announced Tuesday.

The decision was made following the government’s isbat (moon-sighting confirmation) session held at Hotel Borobudur in Central Jakarta. The session involved representatives from major Islamic organizations, astronomy experts, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), members of parliament and other state institutions.

The official determination was based on astronomical calculations (hisab) and verified moon-sighting (rukyatul hilal) reports from various regions across Indonesia.

In his statement, the minister urged the public to maintain unity despite recurring differences in methods used to determine the start of Ramadan.

With the date now set, Muslims in Indonesia will begin performing Tarawih prayers on the evening of Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in preparation for the holy month.

The government’s decision aligns with astronomical predictions made by the Ministry of Religious Affairs’ moon-sighting team, which projected the start of Ramadan on Feb. 19 according to the MABIMS criteria (a regional agreement among religious authorities of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore).

However, differences in approach remain within the broader Muslim community. Muhammadiyah, one of Indonesia’s largest Islamic organizations, has declared that Ramadan will begin on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, based on its adoption of the Global Unified Hijri Calendar (KHGT), highlighting methodological variations in determining the Islamic lunar months.

Overall, the government’s announcement provides official clarity regarding the start of Ramadan 1447 AH in Indonesia and serves as a formal reference for Muslims planning their religious observances during the holy month.[]

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)