The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, on Saturday, directed the Muslim ummah to search for the crescent of Shawwal 1443 AH immediately after sunset today.
Muslims across the world have embarked on Ramadan fasting for close to one month, and it is expected that the sighting of the new moon will end the Ramadan fast.
The Sultan who is also the President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), in a statement by the Director of Administration of the NSCIA, Malam Zubairu Haruna Usman-Ugwu, said the Sultan’s directive was sequel to the advice of the National Moon Sighting Committee (NMSC).
According to him, if the crescent was sighted today by Muslims of impeccable character, then the Sultan would declare tomorrow, Sunday, 1st May 2022, as the first day of Shawwal and the day of Eid-el-Fitr.
The statement urged Muslims all over the country to be on the lookout for the announcement to be made by the Sultan tonight.
It said if, however, the crescent was not sighted today, then, May 2, 2022, automatically becomes the day of Eid-el-Fitr.
The Sultan-led NSCIA, however, felicitated Nigerian Muslims and the entire world on the occasion of this year’s Eid-el-Fitr.
The NSCIA expressed concern over the skyrocketing prices of food and consumables in the country and appealed to the government to stem the tide of inflation.
The organisation appealed to politicians to consider politics as a service to the nation, which should not be pursued as a do-or-die affair.
According to the statement, Nigerians should freely choose their leaders on the basis of those who will lead them with justice, fairness and character in line with the usual prayer, ‘’O Allah, make the best of us our leaders and don’t make the worst of us our leaders. Don’t make us, on account of our sins, be under those who will neither fear you nor be compassionate to us”.
It urged Muslims to exercise their rights to contest for elective positions and also participate actively in the electoral process by not only obtaining their Permanent Voter Cards but casting their votes on the days of elections.
The council insists it is a religious duty for every Muslim to obtain his or her voter card.” The statement said.
The statement while welcoming the policy of the Nigeria Police Force to allow female personnel use a head covering just as it is done in other civilised countries of the world, which included the United States, Britain and Canada, it also appealed to other military, paramilitary and security agencies to toe the line, because that is the right way to go to promote inclusivity and civility in service
The NSCIA appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government to find an amicable solution to the ongoing strike “and not allow some unscrupulous individuals to mobilise students in the name of protests to destabilise the country
Also, it called on security agencies to up their game and address the dangerous security situation in the country.
The body advised Muslims to pray fervently, especially during the concluding part of Ramadan, for peace, security and wellbeing of Nigeria and Nigerians.
