TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A number of Islamic community organizations (ormas) have set different dates for the start of Ramadan 1447 Hijri. Muhammadiyah, for example, will begin fasting on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, while the Islamic Union (Persis) will begin on Thursday, February 19.
Meanwhile, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) will observe the crescent moon, or new moon, marking the start of fasting on February 17-18.
The Central Leadership of the Islamic Union (PP Persis) has officially set the start of Ramadan 1447 Hijri as Thursday, February 19, 2026. This determination is based on the results of the hisab (calculations) or Rukyat Council of PP Persis, which refers to the hisab imkan rukyah methodology with astronomical criteria.
This decision was stipulated in Circular Letter No. 2317/JJ-C.3/PP/2026 concerning the beginning of Ramadan, Shawwal, and Zulhijah 1447 Hijriah or 2026 AD, signed by the General Chairperson of PP Persis, Jeje Zaenudin, and General Secretary, Haris Muslim, in Bandung on January 20, 2026.
According to Persis, the ijtima (convergence) for the end of Sha'ban 1447 Hijriah occurred on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at 7:01 PM WIB. However, at sunset in Indonesia, the Moon's position was still below the criteria for imkan (incantation) for ruqyah. The Moon's altitude was between -2 degrees 14 minutes 56 seconds and -0 degrees 51 minutes 32 seconds.
The lunar elongation was between 0 degrees 56 minutes 19 seconds and 1 degree 53 minutes 24 seconds. "According to the Islamic calendar, the crescent moon has not yet been sighted, so the 1st of Ramadan 1447 Hijriah is set for Thursday, February 19, 2026," Jeje stated in the circular.
Furthermore, Persis also set the 1st of Shawwal, or Eid al-Fitr, for Saturday, March 21, 2026, and Eid al-Adha, the 10th of Zulhijah, for Wednesday, May 27, 2026.
Meanwhile, the Muhammadiyah mass organization, through central leadership circular No. 2/MLM/1.0/E/2025, set the start of fasting on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. This decree was issued on September 22, 2025.
The circular explained that the ijtimak (conjunction) leading up to Ramadan 1447 Hijriah occurred on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. However, based on the global Hijri calendar, the new month begins at sunset the following day. The same applies to the determination of the beginning of Shawwal and Zulhijah, which have been carefully calculated.
Eid al-Fitr, or 1 Shawwal 1447 Hijri, is set to fall on Friday, March 20, 2026, and Eid al-Adha, 10 Zulhijah, is set to fall on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. According to the official Muhammadiyah website, this determination refers to the principles, requirements, and parameters of the Single Global Hijri Calendar, which was the result of the 32nd Muhammadiyah Tarjih National Conference in Pekalongan in 2024.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) will conduct hilal (new moon) observations on February 17-18, 2026, simultaneously in various regions across Indonesia, from Aceh to Papua.
The observations will use computerized telescopes integrated with information technology. During the observations, the brightness of the hilal will be recorded by detectors on the telescopes, which automatically track the changing position of the Moon on the western horizon.
Observation data will be sent directly to a server at the BMKG headquarters, where it will be stored and disseminated online via http://hilal.bmkg.go.id.
In Bandung, for example, the BMKG Bandung Geophysical Station has scheduled new moon observations for February 17-18, 2026, at two different locations: the Albiruni Observatory at Bandung Islamic University (Unisba) and the Bosscha Observatory in Lembang, West Bandung Regency.
"Based on initial crescent sighting data for February 17 and 18, 2026, BMKG's crescent sighting record data, astronomical knowledge, and weather forecast data, the crescent moon for Ramadan 1447 Hijriah in Bandung City will not be observed on February 17, but it has the potential to be observed on February 18," said Teguh Rahayu, Head of the BMKG Bandung Geophysical Station, in a written statement on Sunday, February 15, 2026.
Read: Indonesia to Hold Crescent Sighting for Ramadan at 96 Locations
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