₦airaland Forum

National Moonsighting Committee Nigeria @moonsightingng

FASTING IN THE FACE OF CHALLENGES: MOONSIGHTING FOR
RAMADAN 1447 A.H.

It is another Ramadan season and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), under the leadership of its President-General and Amirul Mumineen, His Eminence, Alh. Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, congratulates the entire Muslim Ummah on the forthcoming month of fasting.

The crescent of the holy month should be searched for immediately after sunset on Tuesday, 17th February 2026 which is equivalent to 29h Sha' aban 1447 A.H. "So, whoever among you witnesses the month, let the person fast in it... (Q. 2:185).

The National Moon Sighting Committee (NMSC). which monthly searches and reports on moon sighting, has, as usual, put facilities in place to officially observe the process, in consultation with the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), and advise the leadership of the Nigerian Ummah.

In accordance with the Shari'ah, if the crescent is sighted on the said evening, then His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Counci for Islamic Affairs, shall declare Wednesday, 18th February 2026 as the first day of Ramadan this year. If, however, the crescent is not sighted that day, then, Thursday 19th February 2026, automatically becomes the first of Ramadan, 1447 A.H.

Details of the traditional rulers, religious leaders and members of the NMSC who should be contacted on the credible sighting of the crescent of Ramadan are available at www.nsc1a.com.ng/nmsc/

Meanwhile, it is obvious that the last one year has been a trying period for Islam and Muslims in Nigeria, just like millions of other Muslims across the world. Muslims have found themselves in the vortex of heightened Islamophobic hysteria that seeks to criminalise Muslims through spinning narratives that are inconsistent with the reality of insecurity in Nigeria. The agenda of the secessionist elements and bigoted religious leaders is to turn Nigeria to a war theatre where Muslims would be annihilated in millions through the spurious 'Christian Genocide' that was manipulated to gain the attention of imperial powers.

In this unprecedented anti-Islamic obsession. Muslims are being asked to denounce what they did not endorse while those who have been victims of attacks are being
framed as aggressors. Muslims have thus become "double victims" who are on the one hand the major victims of Boko Haram, banditry and Lakurawa, the most heinous of
such incidents happening in the underreported gruesome murder of about 200 Muslims in K wara state and also, on the other hand, the victims of negative narratives that erase
Muslim suffering. The culture of inequality against Muslims is being entrenched because Christians have foreign powers to defend them while Muslims appear defenseless.

In all this, the media have consistently failed to uphold the principles of truth, fairness and obiectivity in matters concerning Muslims. These assertions can be illustrated with
the deliberate attempt to demonise Islam and Muslims by the media in the case of Yunusa (a Muslim) versus Eze Oruru (a Christian) in 2015, with the incident sensationalised as Muslim jihad to forcefully convert a Christian minor into Islam
Then, a media mob trial of Muslims in general preceded the eventual trial and conviction of Yunusa.

Conversely, in 2026, it is now public that for years, one Christian, Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi had abducted a Muslim minor, Walida Abdullahi, and allegedly forced her both into marriage and conversion to Christianity. Yet, no one has
condemned Christianity or Christians for this individual act. No faith community is accused of complicity.

Similarly, Muslims in Nigeria and Islam are being taunted, scandalised and condemned because a mob with a Muslim identity took law into their hands and murdered Deborah
for an alleged blasphemy. In contrast, pastor Dio Idon of ECWA, Kasuwan Magani Southern Kaduna, was on 4th January 2026, killed and totally burnt by a Christian mob
that accused him of witchcraft. However, the media have been silent on the religion of the mob in the Christian dominated community. The recent attempt to Christianise the
victimhood of Muslim worshippers in Maiduguri by Channels television and the hasty Christianisation of the unfortunate abducted girls in Kebbi are also still fresh in our memory.

In particular, the Council appreciates the avalanche of complaints lodged at its secretariat, following the announcement by the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) that not only will the presidential election hold during Ramadan, but also the gubernatorial election is slated for a probable Eidul Fitr day. While to the Council this audacious announcement by INEC was not unexpected, it is quite interesting that INEC has shown Muslims early what to expect. We are watching very
closely and expecting an immediate review.

The Council is also hopeful that the unprecedented Islamic awareness and vigilance generated by recent events in and about Nigeria will not be made to fade among the Ummah.



"Inna ma'al 'usri vusra."

In spite of these mounting challenges and attacks against Islam, the Council uses this occasion of Ramadan to encourage Muslims to remain resolute in their belief in Allah as demonstrated by the early Muslims when they also faced existential challenges posed by the hegemons of their day. With sincerity of purpose, calmness, commitment to virtues and power of prayers, Allah will improve on any situation and grant Muslims succour.


The Council prays that Allah continue to protect our country and nation. Amin.

Ramadan is the month in which the Qur'an was revealed as a guide for humanity with clear proofs of guidance and the decisive authority. So, whoever among you witnesses the month, let the person fast in it. But, whoever is ill or on a journey, then let the person fast an equal number of days after Ramadan. Allah intends ease for you, not hardship, so that you may complete the prescribed period and proclaim the greatness of Allah for guiding you, and perhaps you will be grateful. (Q. Al-Baqarah 2: 185)

Also take heed that:

Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel vou from vour homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly
(Q. 60:8 ),

We pray Allah to enable us reach, observe and outlive 1447 A.H. Ramadan in sound health and tranquility. May He generate in us the ability to spend the days of Ramadan
in sober reflection, the nights in sincere devotion and repentance, seal our eyes from what is foul. our mouths from what is vile. our ears from evil and our hearts from the
vicious. Amin.

Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, CON, FNAL
(Kuliyan Sokoto)

Secretary-General

https://x.com/i/status/2023168584558526491

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.


Contact details of members of the Moon Sighting Committee for Ramadan 2026.

https://www.nscia.com.ng/nmsc/

The killer bandits will also want to observe the fasting and claim they are doing an act of worship. Afterwards they will go into villages to kidnap and kill innocent people. May God's wrath descend on them in this holy month of Ramadan.
Ramadan Kareem to all Muslims in advance

This sh*t is always funny to me. Find moon....like say e lost.

pdppower:
The killer bandits will also want to observe the fasting and claim they are doing an act of worship. Afterwards they will go into villages to kidnap and kill innocent people. May God's wrath descend on them in this holy month of Ramadan.
Ramadan Kareem to all Muslims in advance

Aameen. Those guys are something else

But the fulani terrorists that surround his palace in Sokoto, and other parts of Northwest like Kebbi and Niger, this guy cant set his torchlight on them to find them?

Mtcheew. Nobody fit deceive me for this life. We all know what he is.

I never for my life see sultan wey just balance, dey very comfortable while fulani islamic terrorists are running roughshod in his domain. Hin just farabale coolehhhhh.

___

Note to Mods: You guys must refrain from taking down comments that appear at the top or very close to it, that dont bend to your bias.

I dont know if its people from higher authority that tells u guys to take down certain comments but as far as rules are not broken, u cant just keep taking down comments at the top and making it seem random. I dont have energy to be typing and u just yank my comment off cos una no lkke am, not like any rule was broken. That rubbish must stop in 2026.

Thank you!

Using the moon as a witness tells a lot about Islam.

The moon is a false reflection or copy of the sun

And that’s why it never comes out in its appointed times.

Yet the world uses it.

So Christians should not rejoice o because yours is far worse as you put all your faith in a book

Both religions will cease to exist in the new world order that’s coming fast and it’s coming out of Africa.

I saw it in Maraba, in mama Sadiq backyard chasing rats. The moon never come back home?

may Allah open our eyes to see the new moon.

Ajisebioyolaari:
This sh*t is always funny to me. Find moon....like say e lost.

No...its the linguistic part of your brain that is faulty

JoeEeL:
But the fulani terrorists that surround his palace in Sokoto, and other parts of Northwest like Kebbi and Niger, this guy cant set his torchlight on them to find them?

Mtcheew. Nobody fit deceive me for this life. We all know what he is.

___

Note to Mods: You guys must refrain from taking down comments that appear at the top or very close to it, that dont bend to your bias.

I dont know if its people from higher authority that tells u guys to take down certain comments but as far as rules are not broken, u cant just keep taking down comments at the top and making it seem random. I dont have energy to be typing and u just yank my comment off cos una no lkke am, not like any rule was broken. That rubbish must stop in 2026.

Thank you!

What is your own headache over strict muslim affairs??

Islamophobe!

What has sighting the moon got to do with anything? Terrorists and bandits will still do their thing.

Tinumbu's hardship will still affect everyone.

Religion is the opium of the masses. Like Islam like Christianity.....wayo.

YorubaKinging:
Using the moon as a witness tells a lot about Islam.

The moon is a false reflection or copy of the sun

And that’s why it never comes out in its appointed times.

Yet the world uses it.

So Christians should not rejoice o because yours is far worse as you put all your faith in a book

Both religions will cease to exist in the new world order that’s coming fast and it’s coming out of Africa.

As a witnesss


You are too Ignorant!

What does Islam says about the moon

(Surah Fussilat 41:37): "And of His signs are the night and day and the sun and moon. Do not prostrate to the sun or to the moon, but prostrate to Allah, Who created them, if it is Him you worship".


Muslims have 12 calender month,which is even more reasonable than gregorian calender because each month is exactly in line with the movement of the moon.One of the months is ramadan.
When they say,look out of the moon,it means,check wether a new montj called ramadan has heralded

Franking:
What has sighting the moon got to do with anything? Terrorists and bandits will still do their thing.

Tinumbu's hardship will still affect everyone.

Religion is the opium of the masses. Like Islam like Christianity.....wayo.

Where in the article is it written that it has something to do with banditry?

If your brain is linking the two in thay article then you need a brain check.


Its like asking what is the relationship between tithe banditry,fake miracles and born of jesus christ in a thread talking strictly about christmas

Ramadan kareem to all 2 billion Muslims worldwide. ☪️

E wan start the same day on Chinese new year.

victorazyvictor:
I saw it in Maraba, in mama Sadiq backyard chasing rats. The moon never come back home?

D

Who takes somebody whose God was killed amd nailed on the cross by some roman soldiers he created seriously

They have started
It's not tomorrow again?

At least 30 people looking for the moon? Na wa oo.
Abi no be the moon that we all know and see?
Anyway, committee will sit and collect allowance. That's all that matters

Sultan of the moon and bandits

Ajisebioyolaari:
This sh*t is always funny to me. Find moon....like say e lost.

Na misplaced priority

TallNigerian:
Come on, go and search for the moon like your god from Sokoto commanded.

Al mah gee reeh

Stop judging musllims with your religion standard.

Sultan is not like one God from judea that was killed brutally by roman soldiers years back.

Heis just a mortal a fulani man that hapoens to be a muslim leader.In Islam,no racial discrimination.

By the way,when will an Igbo man become a pope?

Also,alery me when an Igbo man becomes the daddy G.O of redeem and wimner

Ajisebioyolaari:
This sh*t is always funny to me. Find moon....like say e lost.

That's your ignorance seeming funny to you

But there's a particular organization set up for that purpose. Make I go and search for the moon too

as you are searching for the moon, please also search for the terrorists among you

Sultan of terrorists and kidnappers

has it been seen? pls chech

Lol. Science can predict the sighting and it's more accurate.

Basic123:


Stop judging musllims with your religion standard.

Sultan is not like one God from judea that was killed brutally by roman soldiers years back.

Heis just a mortal a fulani man that hapoens to be a muslim leader.In Islam,no racial discrimination.

By the way,when will an Igbo man become a pope?

Also,alery me when an Igbo man becomes the daddy G.O of redeem and wimner

This is so funny. An American became the pope, even though it was started by the Romans (Italians),
But the Fulani would never let anyone else become the Sultan. Not even an hausa or kanuri. That is racial discrimination.