Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) has officially announced the definitive date for Idul Adha 2026, following its crucial sidang isbat (confirmation hearing) held on Sunday, May 17. After meticulous crescent moon (hilal) monitoring and extensive deliberations, the significant Islamic festival of sacrifice, Idul Adha, is set to fall on Wednesday, May 27, 2026.
During the sidang isbat, Kemenag confirmed that the observed position of the new crescent moon successfully met the established MABIMS criteria – a regional standard agreed upon by Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. This pivotal observation led to the declaration that 1 Dhu al-Hijjah 1447 H will commence on Monday, May 18, 2026. Minister of Religious Affairs, Nasaruddin Umar, stated from the Kemenag office in Jakarta, “It has been agreed that the 1st of Dhu al-Hijjah 1447 H falls on Monday, May 18, 2026, and consequently, Eid al-Adha, on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah 1447 H, will be celebrated on Wednesday, May 27, 2026.”
Minister Nasaruddin further elaborated on the extensive observation efforts, confirming that the crescent moon was sighted at 88 strategic points across Indonesia. A seminar on hilal positioning, also hosted by Kemenag, revealed that the moon’s height in Indonesia ranged between 3 and 6 degrees, with an elongation angle varying from 8 to 10 degrees. These detailed astronomical measurements played a crucial role in validating the final decision for the Idul Adha 2026 date.
Muhammadiyah Also Sets Idul Adha for May 27, 2026
Significantly, the Muhammadiyah organization, a prominent Islamic group in Indonesia, had already determined its dates for Idul Adha and the Day of Arafah. Their calculations, based on a global astronomical method (hisab), also concluded that 10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1447 H, marking Idul Adha, would fall on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. Furthermore, the sacred Day of Arafah, 9 Dhu al-Hijjah 1447 H, was set for Tuesday, May 26, 2026. Muhammadiyah’s methodology relies on the Global Calendar Parameters (PKG), a system designed to foster uniformity in the start of Hijri months for Muslims worldwide by applying the principle of global crescent visibility, transcending national borders.
Muhammadiyah’s detailed calculations showed that the ijtimak, or the astronomical conjunction of the Sun and Moon that signals the start of a new lunar month, occurred before Dhu al-Hijjah 1447 H on Saturday Pon, May 16, 2026, at 20:01:02 UTC. However, despite this conjunction, no region on Earth met the Global Calendar Parameter (PKG) 1 criteria at sunset on that day. PKG 1 mandates a minimum moon height of 5 degrees and an elongation of at least 8 degrees before 24:00 UTC for the new month to begin.
Furthermore, Global Calendar Parameter (PKG) 2 also remained unfulfilled. Post-24:00 UTC, no landmass in the Americas satisfied the stipulated conditions: a minimum moon height of 5 degrees, an elongation of at least 8 degrees, and the ijtimak occurring before dawn in New Zealand. Consequently, with both critical PKG parameters unmet, the first day of Dhu al-Hijjah could not be declared on May 17, but was instead set for Monday, May 18, 2026. This precise astronomical determination by Muhammadiyah led directly to their proclamation of Idul Adha (10 Dhu al-Hijjah) falling on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, aligning with the government’s announcement.
Summary
The Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) has officially confirmed that Eid al-Adha 2026 will be celebrated on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. This definitive date was announced after a “sidang isbat” (confirmation hearing) held on Sunday, May 17, 2026. Crescent moon observations met the established MABIMS criteria, leading to the declaration that 1 Dhu al-Hijjah 1447 H will commence on Monday, May 18, 2026.
Aligning with the government’s decision, the Muhammadiyah organization also determined Idul Adha to be on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. Their calculations, based on a global astronomical method (hisab) using Global Calendar Parameters (PKG), independently concluded the same date. Muhammadiyah further set the sacred Day of Arafah for Tuesday, May 26, 2026, following their precise astronomical assessments.