A number of States in Central Maluku Start Ramadan Today

Residents of Hila, Jazirah Leihitu, Central Maluku, perform Tarawih prayers, at the Old Mosque. (Photo: ANTARA)

AMBON - earlier than the government's determination, Muslim residents in a number of villages in Leihitu District, Central Maluku Regency, Maluku Province, began to carry out the fasting of 1 Ramadhan 1447 Hijriah/2026 on Tuesday (17/2).

"If we have performed Tarawih prayers Monday (16/2) last night and started fasting today. There are also those who are just a little bit of night before sahur and tomorrow are fasting," said the imam and khatib of Hasan Soleman Mosque Negeri Hila Abdul Kadir Ollong, in Ambon, Tuesday, quoted from ANTARA.

A number of countries that started fasting earlier include Wakal, Hila, Kaitetu, and Seith. The implementation of fasting is carried out based on the results of consultations of religious figures and hisab calculations that have been used for generations.

He said the decision to start fasting had been agreed upon with local religious leaders.

The same thing was conveyed by Mr. King of Wakal Ahaja Suneth, that the Wakal community started fasting on Tuesday (17/2).

According to him, the implementation of early fasting is not new for the Wakal community. Local residents consistently use their own counting method which was passed down by their predecessors.

"We always follow our own counting methods that have been passed down by our predecessors. This is part of the beliefs and traditions that we still hold," he said.

Suneth explained that in Wakal there is an ancient calendar that is guarded and used by religious figures or kasasi of the Nurul Awal Mosque in determining the beginning of Ramadan. The calculation of 1 Ramadan begins from 1 Muharram using the old calendar.

However, he emphasized that the difference in the initial determination of Ramadan was not a problem among the public. Some residents also chose to follow the government's decision.

"We are here only to maintain what our predecessors have done and to continue to respect the government's decisions," he said.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) has scheduled the monitoring of the hilal (rukyatul hilal) of the beginning of Ramadan 1447 Hijriah on February 17, 2026. The results of the monitoring will be discussed in the isbat session for the determination of the beginning of Ramadan which will take place at the Ministry of Religion Office in Jakarta.