Jakarta. The Indonesian government has yet to confirm the official date for Eid al-Fitr 2026, as the crescent moon marking the end of Ramadan has not yet met the minimum visibility criteria.

The Religious Affairs Ministry said the start of 1 Shawwal 1447 Hijriyah will be determined during an isbat session scheduled for March 19.

Arsad Hidayat, director of Islamic affairs at the ministry, said astronomical calculations show the crescent moon’s altitude ranges between 0 and 3 degrees, with the highest position observed in Aceh. Elongation — the angular distance between the sun and the moon — is estimated at between 4 and 6 degrees.

“According to MABIMS standards, while the moon’s altitude may be sufficient, its elongation has not yet reached the minimum 6.4 degrees required for visual observation,” Arsad said.

The MABIMS criteria refer to a regional agreement among MABIMS members — Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore — that sets the parameters for the possibility of sighting the new moon.

Indonesia determines the start of Islamic months using a combination of hisab (astronomical calculations) and rukyatul hilal (direct observation of the crescent moon at designated locations). The official date will be announced following the isbat session.

The ministry will hold the meeting at the H.M. Rasjidi Auditorium at its headquarters in Jakarta starting at 4 p.m., with participation from astronomy experts from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), planetariums, observatories, as well as representatives from Islamic organizations and other government agencies.

The Indonesian Hijri calendar issued by the Directorate General of Islamic Community Guidance at the ministry currently estimates that 1 Shawwal 1447 H will fall on Saturday, March 21, 2026, although the date remains provisional.

Among major Islamic organizations, Muhammadiyah has already declared that Eid will fall on Friday, March 20, based on its use of the Unified Global Hijri Calendar.

Arsad said a difference between the government’s decision and Muhammadiyah’s date remains possible, similar to the differing start of Ramadan earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) has yet to announce the official Eid date. Based on the NU Almanac, the organization estimates 1 Shawwal will likely fall on Saturday, March 21, though the final decision will depend on moon-sighting observations using the Imkan Rukyah Nahdlatul Ulama method.

Separately, the government has already set the official national holidays and collective leave period for Eid 2026 under a joint decree issued by the ministries of religious affairs, manpower, and administrative and bureaucratic reform.

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