The Sultan of Sokoto,
Abubakar Saad, has
announced the sighting of the
new crescent of “Shawwal”,
signifying the end of Ramadan
fasting for Nigerian Muslims.
Mr. Abubakar, who made the
announcement in his palace in
Sokoto on Saturday, said
Muslim faithful in Nigeria are
to observe the Eid El Fitr
Sallah celebrations Sunday.
The Sultan of Sokoto said the
new moon was sighted in
Adamawa, Katsina and parts
of Sokoto state.
The new moon marks the end
of the 29-day long Ramadan
and the start of the Islamic
month of Shawwal.
President Muhammadu Buhari
has sent a message from
London, where he is
undergoing medical treatment,
felicitating with Muslims on
the Sallah celebrations.
The federal government
already declared Monday and
Tuesday as public holidays for
the celebration.
The Nigerian Supreme Council
of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) had
on Friday asked Muslims to
look out for new moon on
Saturday night to mark the end
of the Ramadan fast.
The NSCIA also released the
names and telephone numbers
of members of its moon
sighting committee across
Nigeria.
Members of that committee
were to be contacted if the
new moon of “Shawwal” is
sighted, according to Islamic
tradition.
Saudi Arabia and several other
countries around the world had
earlier announced the end of
the Ramadan fast, saying the
new moon of Shawwal had
been sighted in their
territories.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the
Kwara State House of
Assembly, Ali Ahmad, has
congratulated Muslims on the
successful completion of the
fast and urged them to sustain
the virtues of Ramadan by
maintaining the love,
togetherness and peaceful co-
existence that characterized
the month.
The speaker said the discipline
and self-restraint displayed
during the holy month
remained the only way to live a
good life and make the society
a better place to live.
Mr. Ahmad urged Muslims to
see Eid-el-fitri celebration as a
season for sober reflection,
noting that they must also
rededicate their lives to the
teachings of the Holy Qur’an
as demonstrated by Prophet
Mohammed.
He said Nigerians, especially
Muslims, should use the Sallah
period to pray for Nigeria to
overcome the multifaceted
challenges facing the country.
“Being good Muslims requires
that we follow the examples of
Prophet Muhammad who was
always quick to forgive those
that transgressed against him
and lived a life of building
common understanding among
the people”, Mr. Ahmad said
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