YOUNGELDER1: Why can’t Yoruba Muslims sight the moon?
naptu2: Sun, moon, calendar, Ramadan and funny ignorance
These ideas were fully formed in my mind by 1987, but I have seen new and very funny examples of ignorance every year since then.
Ignorance
Someone wished another person happy new year (back in the late 1980s) and the person thanked her, but said that he was not a Christian. Many people that were around were shocked. They said that she was referring to the New Year and that it had nothing to do with Christianity. In fact, some of them asked me what the New Year had to do with Christianity.
They were wrong. It's got a lot to do with Christianity.
This second example sounded very funny to me because, luckily, I had learnt the science behind it way back in the 1980s, before I heard the ignorance in the 2000s. Someone referred to the moon sighting for Ramadan and said that it was evidence that Muslims worshipped the moon. I laughed at him.
I had never heard this crazy idea before I started reading Nairaland. I assumed that every Nigerian knew the truth. After all, it was announced on the NTA Network News every year (as far back as I can remember). Some crazy person said that only the Sultan of Sokoto could see the new moon and he questioned why it was only the Sultan that was allowed to see the new moon. I felt sure that he was mad.
Year, month, day
I am not going to be very detailed about this first part because it is almost 40 years since I read about it and I can't remember the minute details.
Between 1985 and 1987 I read all about how our modern calendar was created. The calendar is based on the earth's revolution around the sun. The earth revolves around the sun in 365¼ days. The ¼ leads to a full day every 4 years and that's how we have our leap year (the extra day is in February).
The moon revolves around the earth in 27.3 days (it takes around 29.5 for us to see the new moon). This gives us our month.
It takes 23 hours and 56 minutes (basically 24 hours) for the earth to rotate on its axis. This gives us our day.
Hold on a second. I said that it takes around 27-29 days for the moon to rotate around the earth and this gives us our month, but 30 days have September, April, June and November; all the rest have 31, except February alone, so what's responsible for the difference?
Gregorian Calendar
It's all about how our calendar was created. Various religious and political leaders manipulated the calendar to suit their needs. Julius Ceaser created July and made it the longest month, Augustus Ceaser created August and made it the longest month and Pope Gregory The 13th (Pope of the Catholic Church in the 1500s) rearranged the calendar into the form that we know today. It is called the Gregorian Calendar (that's right, it is a Christian calendar).
All these changes altered the number of months in the Gregorian calendar (there are more changes that I did not list, for example, January is named after Janus, the Roman god of beginnings, but as I said, I won't be detailed in this section).
You can easily tell that it is a Christian calendar because of the dates. We are in 2024 AD. AD means Anno Domini, which means, "In the year of our Lord". The full form is anno Domini nostri Jesu Christi", which translates to "in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ". It marks the time from the death of Jesus Christ and some refer to it as "After Death". The term BC means Before Christ.
The Gregorian calendar is not the only calendar that exists and is being used. There is the Chinese calendar, the Ethiopian calendar, the Hijri (or Islamic) calendar, etc.
National Concord newspaper wrote the dates in both the Gregorian and the Hijri calendars on its front page in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Hijri Calendar
The Hijri calendar is based on the revolution of the moon around the earth. A year consists of 12 lunar months, that is 354 or 355 days.
Just as the dates in the Gregorian calendar are marked by the death of Jesus Christ (AD and BC), the dates in the Hijri calendar are marked by the migration of Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina (this is known as the Hijrah).
It is because the Hijri calendar is a lunar calendar, that's why people are asked to look out for the new moon. They are not worshipping the moon, they are simply using it to tell the time. That is, they are using it to determine when a new month starts.
For example, Ramadan is one of the months of the Hijri calendar. Muslims are enjoined to fast during the month. That's why people look out for the new moon, because they want to determine when the month starts and ends.
Moon sighting
I am also not going to be very detailed in this section because this knowledge is from many decades ago.
All Muslims are asked to look out for the new moon that signifies the beginning of the new month. However, for the sake of unity and uniformity, Muslims are required to report a sighting to the leader in their area, so that the Muslim faithful can carry out the tasks (beginning of fast, celebration of Eid, etc) together. Anyone can sight the moon, but he is required to report such sighting to the leader who will announce that the moon has been seen.
In Nigeria, the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (SCIA) is the umbrella body for Muslims in the country. The Sultan of Sokoto is usually the president-general of the SCIA, while the secretary-general of the SCIA is usually a southerner (for a long time it was Dr Lateef Adegbite).
There is also a National Moon Sighting Committee. The National Moon Sighting Committee usually asks Muslims to look out for the new moon and it provides phone numbers that people can call if they see it.
Once it has been confirmed that the moon has been seen, the Sultan of Sokoto will make the announcement that the new month has begun and he will state where and when the moon was seen and who confirmed it.
This is all very simple and easy for a sensible person to understand.
The secretary general of the NSCIA is currently Professor Ishaq Oloyede.
With the approval of His Eminence the Sultan of Sokoto, the new moon of Ramadan has been sighted in some locations in Nigeria. The first day of Ramadan 1446 will be on Saturday, March 1st. His Eminence is anticipated to give his standard broadcast at approximately 8 PM , in sha Allah. Ramadan Mubarak 🌙
His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), shall make a broadcast shortly by 8:00pm.
His Eminence the Sultan of Sokoto has announced that Saturday, March 1st, marks the beginning of Ramadan 1446, following confirmed sighting reports from Maiduguri and Bama.
There are some players that will say some things, you'll just overlook it. If you look at their career, if you look at the type of football that they played, you can understand, you know.
I mean, you won't want your son to be like Carragher. So he can never appreciate African football or the talents that come from Africa
After 21 months, Buhari relocates from Daura to Kaduna
By Dalhatu Liman and Mohammed I. Yaba Fri, 28 Feb 2025
Former President Muhammadu Buhari has relocated from his hometown, Daura in Katsina State, to his residence in Kaduna, marking the end of a 21-month stay since leaving office in May 2023.
Buhari’s move was confirmed by his spokesperson, Mallam Garba Shehu, and former aide Bashir Ahmad.
Since completing his tenure, Buhari has maintained a low profile in Daura, focusing on personal engagements rather than active political involvement.
Bashir Ahmad, in a social media post, said Buhari was accompanied to his Kaduna residence by Vice President Kashim Shettima and other high-profile dignitaries, including Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, current and former deputy governors of Katsina State, a former Inspector General of Police, former ministers, and several personal aides.
Ahmad also noted that Buhari received a warm send-off in Katsina, where well-wishers gathered alongside notable figures such as Mallam Mamman Daura and Musa Halilu (Dujiman Adamawa).
Our correspondent reports that Shettima, who arrived in Kaduna around the same time as Buhari, was received at the Air Force Base mini airport by Governor Uba Sani, Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly Yusuf Liman, and other government and party officials.
Shamsuddeen El-Abuja, President of the APC Northwest Youth Ambassadors, who was part of the delegation that received the vice president, confirmed that the convoy proceeded directly to Buhari’s residence on Sultan Lane in Kaduna’s GRA.
“The Vice President arrived a few minutes before 1:00 pm and was received by the state governor and the speaker of the state assembly. From there, the convoy went straight to Buhari’s residence, where the VP and the governor met privately with the former president,” he said.
Security was heightened across Kaduna, particularly along Sultan Road leading to Buhari’s residence, during Shettima’s visit.
Shortly after 1:00 pm, the vice president and Governor Uba Sani departed the residence for the airport.
tishbite43 is still wasting his time and trying to get my attention.
I don't know why he is desperate for it, I am not a star.
Someone wrote something and I repeated what the person wrote. What's his business there? Yet he had to insert himself and try to tell me that the person wrote something else. Maybe he needs glasses, but I am not going to waste my time with him.
He can keep trying, but I won't read his nonsense.
General Muhammadu Buhari has lived in Kaduna since he was released from detention. Obviously he lived at the Aso Rock Villa when he was president and then he decided to rest in his home town, Daura, after he left office.
He has now returned to his residence in Kaduna and he'll be there throughout the month of Ramadan.
Senator Uba Sani is the governor of Kaduna State.
Senator Uba Sani @ubasanius
I had the honor of welcoming the former President of Nigeria, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR back to his residence in Kaduna. He has been in his hometown Daura, Katsina State since he finished his second term as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The former President was accompanied by the Vice President, His Excellency, Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON, His Excellency, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State, Deputy Governor of Katsina State, His Excellency, Malam Faruk Lawal Jobe, amongst other well-wishers.
I heartily welcome our dear former President, Muhammadu Buhari back to our dear state. I wish him a pleasant stay in his favorite city, Kaduna.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR has left Daura for Kaduna. Buhari will be observing his 2025 Ramadan fasting in the Premier City of Northern Nigeria Insha Allah.
Allah Ya.Karama Lafiya, da Nisan Kwana Masu Tarin Albarka, Baba
Former President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR has left Daura for Kaduna. Buhari will be observing his 2025 Ramadan fasting in the Premier City of Northern Nigeria Insha Allah.
Today, former President Muhammadu Buhari has returned to his Kaduna residence after spending two years in Daura, Katsina State, since leaving office in May 2023. After completing his tenure, he opted for a quiet life in his hometown and largely stayed out of active political discussions, focusing on private engagements.
President Buhari was accompanied by Vice President @KashimSM Shettima and high-profile dignitaries, including the Governor of Borno, @ProfZulum, and his counterpart, the Governor of Kaduna, @UbaSaniUS, current and former Deputy Governors of Katsina State, a former Inspector General of Police, former ministers, and several of his personal aides.
In Kaduna, the former president was met with a warm reception from well-wishers, who were also received by Mallam Mamman Daura and Musa Halilu (Dujiman Adamawa), who gathered to welcome him back.
SULTANATE COUNCIL SETS FRIDAY 28TH FEBRUARY 2025 AS DATE TO BEGIN SEARCH FOR THE NEW MOON OF RAMADAN
The Sultanate Council Sokoto says, Friday 28th February, 2025, marks the start of the search for the new Moon of Ramadan 1446AH. This is contained in a statement signed by Wazirin Sokoto and Chairman, Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Sultanate Council, Sokoto Prof. Sambo Wali Junaidu.
It calls on Muslims to look out for the new Moon of Ramadan on Friday and report any sighting to their nearest District or Village Head for onward communication to the Sultan of Sokoto and President General Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar for formal announcement.
The statement adds that if the new Crescent is sighted the following Phone numbers could be contacted for onward communication to the Sultanate Council:
Consequent upon the advice of @moonsightingng, the NSCIA under its President-General enjoins the Nigerian Muslim Ummah to search for the crescent of Ramadan 1446 AH immediately after sunset on Friday, 28th February 2025 which is equivalent to 29th Sha’aban 1446 AH.
If the 🌙 is sighted by Muslims of impeccable character on the said evening, then His Eminence the Sultan would declare Saturday, 1st March 2025 as the first day of Ramadan 1446 AH. If, however, the crescent is not sighted, then, Sunday automatically becomes the first of Ramadan.
Islam › Re: Video: Sultan Of Sokoto Announces Sighting Of Moon, Ramadan Begins Today by naptu2(op): 6:25am On Mar 01, 2025
