Look out for Shawwal moon Saturday, Sultan tells Muslims

As the 1443 Hijra (2022) Ramadan draws to an end, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), under the leadership of its President-General and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has urged Muslims across the country to look for the new moon of Shawwal on Saturday.

The Director of Administration of the NSCIA, Arc. Zubairu Haruna Usman-Ugwu, said this in a statement issued on behalf of the Sultan, on Friday.

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He said consequent upon the advice of the National Moon Sighting Committee (NMSC), the Sultan enjoined the Nigerian Muslim Ummah to search for the crescent of Shawwal 1443 AH immediately after sunset on Saturday, April 30th, 2022, which is equivalent to 29th Ramadan, 1443 AH.

“If the crescent is sighted by Muslims of impeccable character, then His Eminence (Sultan) would declare Sunday, May 1st 2022, as the 1st of Shawwal and the day of ‘Idul Fitr. However, if the crescent is not sighted that day, then Monday, May 2nd 2022, automatically becomes the day of ‘Idul Fitr.”

“In addition to the established and traditional Islamic leaders in each locality, members of the NMSC can be contacted to report credible and positive sighting of the Crescent of Shawwal 1443 AH,” Usman-Ugwu said.

He also urged Muslims to in the spirit of Ramadan, remember that Zakatul Fitr (special Ramadan charity) is a compulsory food-levy imposed on privileged Muslims, to be given to the less privileged in the society.

He, therefore, urged all concerned to ensure that they do not only comply but comply on time.

He said, “The general practice is to give out the standard measurement to beneficiaries in the last two days of Ramadan and not later than before the eid prayer.”

Sultan Abubakar, who felicitated with the Nigerian Muslim ‘Ummah and indeed the entire Muslim worldwide, on the auspicious occasion of the 1443 AH ‘Idul Fitr, prayed Allah to grant every one the opportunity to witness many more of it.

He also expressed concern about the skyrocketing prices of food and consumables in the country and appealed to the government to stem the tide of inflation while urging traders too to desist from the habit of arbitrarily increasing the price of food items.