- The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, directs Muslims to begin sighting the Ramadan 1447 AH crescent on Tuesday, Feb. 17.
- The directive was issued through the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA)
- Muslims are urged to report confirmed sightings to district or village heads for onward communication to the Sultan
Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, who serves as the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), has called on Muslims across the country to begin the search for the new moon marking the start of Ramadan 1447 AH on Tuesday, February 17.
The directive was conveyed in a statement released on Monday, February 16, by Prof. Sambo Junaidu, Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs of the Sultanate Council, Sokoto.
The statement read: “This is to inform the Muslim Ummah that Tuesday, Feb. 17, equivalent to the 29th day of Sha’aban 1447 AH, shall be the day to look for the new moon of Ramadan 1447 AH.
“Muslims are therefore, requested to start looking for the new moon of Ramadan 1447 AH on Tuesday and report its sighting to the nearest District or Village Head for onward communication to the Sultan,” it said.
According to the statement, if the crescent is sighted, reports can be made to the Sultan through the following phone numbers: 0803 715 7100, 0806 630 3077, 0803 596 5322, 0803 594 5903, and 0706 714 6900.
The Sultan also offered prayers, asking Allah to grant Muslims the strength and guidance needed to faithfully observe their religious obligations.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) notes that Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is observed by Muslims worldwide as a sacred period of fasting, congregational prayers, reflection, and acts of charity.
The annual fast, which represents one of the five pillars of Islam, lasts either 29 or 30 days, depending on the sighting of the crescent moon that signals both its beginning and end.