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Rabat – Indonesia is expected to begin Ramadan on February 18 and conclude it on March 19, followed by Eid al-Fitr the next day, pending official confirmation by Indonesian authorities.
The country is to determine the start of Ramadan 1447 Hijri through a formal Isbat (confirmation) session scheduled for February 17, according to the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
The session will be led by the minister of religious affairs at the ministry’s H.M. Rasjidi Auditorium in Jakarta.
Participants are expected to include representatives of Islamic organizations, foreign Islamic embassies, the Indonesian Ulema Council, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), astronomy experts, members of the House of Representatives, and representatives of the Supreme Court, the ministry said.
The determination process will take place in three stages: the presentation of astronomical data on the position of the hilal (new moon), verification of moon-sighting results from 37 observation points across Indonesia, and deliberation before a final decision is announced to the public.
Indonesia determines the start of Ramadan as well as Eid al-Fitr by integrating hisab, or astronomical calculations, with rukyah, or visual moon sighting.
Read more: Malaysia Expects Ramadan 2026 to Start on February 19
Under the rukyah method, the beginning of the lunar month depends on whether the crescent moon is observed above a minimum altitude. National criteria reference a minimum moon height of 2 degrees, while the regional standard set by MABIMS requires a minimum height of 3 degrees and a minimum elongation of 6.4 degrees.
The ministry said it will deploy experts to selected observation sites to conduct rukyah. For the first time, the IKN Mosque in Indonesia’s new capital city will be used as one of the official moon-sighting locations.
Separately, the government has accelerated the distribution of basic necessities ahead of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr 2026 as a precaution against potential disruptions caused by extreme weather, according to Antara News.
The Ministry of Trade said national stocks of key commodities, including eggs, cooking oil, chilies, and broiler chicken, remain sufficient.
However, data from BMKG indicate that parts of Sulawesi and Papua are expected to experience heavy rainfall in February and March, which could affect logistics and distribution.
To mitigate the risk, distributors, including state-owned food companies such as Bulog and ID FOOD, have begun shipping supplies to regional destinations earlier than usual, the ministry said.
Authorities are also coordinating with the Ministry of Transportation to ensure port readiness and the availability of containers.
The government said the measures are intended to maintain supply and price stability during the national religious holiday period, in line with regulated retail and reference purchase prices.
