Hilal Not Spotted in West Jakarta; Uncertainty Persists Over tanggal puasa 2026
Observers at Masjid Raya K. H. Hasyim Asy'ari in West Jakarta did not see the new moon during evening observations on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, leaving the official start date of Ramadan uncertain. The monitoring team carried out systematic checks in the late afternoon and prepared a formal report ahead of the national deliberation that will determine the tanggal puasa 2026.
On-site observation: cloudy skies and an astronomically hidden hilal
The local monitoring team began visual checks early in the afternoon and continued through the sunset window, running roughly from 04: 00 ET to 05: 49 ET. Cloud cover thickened as the session proceeded; by the final minutes of the observation the sun itself was obscured. Observers concluded the hilal was not visible from the Jakarta site.
The local falakiyah body applies two principal sighting criteria: IRNU (Ijtima’ Rukyatul Nahdlatul Ulama) with a parameter of 3 degrees true altitude and elongation of 6. 4 degrees, and KIRNU (Kodi Rukyatul Nahdlatul Ulama) with a 9. 9-degree parameter. Under both standards the evening’s moon position fell within what practitioners call the zone of istihalat rukyah—effectively impossible to sight. Astronomical calculations for the location showed the crescent set about four minutes earlier than the sun and had a negative altitude (around minus one degree) at sunset, reinforcing the assessment that direct sighting was not feasible.
Teams deployed a mix of traditional and modern instruments for the attempt: optical telescopes, robotic telescopes, theodolites and traditional rubu' devices. Roughly 25 personnel were involved in the West Jakarta operation, and village and religious leaders joined to observe the process.
Next steps and what the public can expect for tanggal puasa 2026
The local monitoring body will file its observation results with the national leadership at approximately 06: 16 ET so the data can be considered in formal deliberations. National procedures call for a seminar on the astronomical position of the moon earlier in the afternoon, followed by a closed-session isbat to review hisab (calculations) and rukyatul hilal reports. The public announcement of the official start of Ramadan is scheduled for 07: 05 ET on the same evening.
There is a divergence in preliminary predictions: a national hijri calendar projects 1 Ramadan on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, while another major religious organization has already designated Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. The isbat process exists to reconcile these differences through a combination of calculation and observation; the monitoring outcomes and debate at the national session will determine the final tanggal puasa 2026.
Local observers urged patience and adherence to the formal decision. Even when the hilal is not physically observed at a particular site, the combination of systematic observation reports and astronomical data feeds into the established decision-making framework. Communities across the country are poised to follow the official announcement later in the morning ET, and religious leaders stressed that preparations for Ramadan continue while authorities finalize the date.
