The Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), has called on Muslims across Nigeria to begin the search for the new crescent of Ramadan 1447 AH on Tuesday evening.
In an official statement issued by the NSCIA, the Sultan urged Muslim faithful to look for the moon immediately after sunset, explaining that the confirmed sighting of the crescent will signal the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.
Under Islamic tradition, the start of Ramadan is determined by the physical sighting of the crescent moon marking the end of Sha’aban, the eighth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. If credible and verified reports of moon sighting are received from different parts of the country, the Sultanate Council will officially declare Wednesday as the first day of fasting.
However, if the crescent is not sighted, Muslims will complete 30 days of Sha’aban, after which Ramadan will automatically commence the following day.
The Sultan advised anyone who sights the moon to promptly report the observation to their nearest district head, village head, or recognised Islamic authority for verification and onward communication to the Sultanate Council in Sokoto.
Beyond the technical announcement, the Sultan also called on Muslims to prepare spiritually for Ramadan by embracing repentance, increased worship, charity, and peaceful coexistence. He emphasised the need for prayers for Nigeria’s stability, economic recovery, and security, urging faithful to use the holy month as a period of national reflection and unity.
Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and requires adult Muslims to fast daily from dawn (Fajr) until sunset (Maghrib). The month is also marked by increased recitation of the Qur’an, nightly Taraweeh prayers, acts of charity (Zakat and Sadaqah), and heightened devotion.
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