Muslims in Nigeria and other parts of the world began this year’s Ramadan fast on Saturday, April 2, 2022. This followed the declaration by the President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, on Friday night. The sultan announced the sighting of the moon and commencement of Ramadan fast in a nation-wide telecast. The sultan on Thursday had urged Muslims across the country to look for this year’s Ramadan crescent after sunset on Friday April 1, which was equivalent to 29th of Sha’aban 1443AH.
According to the sultan’s announcementm which was also carried by the Twitter handle of the NSCIA, there were reliable reports that the crescent of the month of Ramadan was sighted in Sokoto, Yobe, Zamfara, Katsina, Plateau, Kaduna and Kano states among others. He said, “After due verification and authentication by the National Moon Sighting Committee and states committees’ confirmation, as well as routine scrutiny, I hereby announce the sighting of the new moon of Ramadan which signifies the end of Sha’aban 1443AH”, adding that “in accordance with Islamic law, the Muslim Ummah is to commence fasting on Saturday accordingly.”
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While urging the federal government to tackle the rising insecurity in the country in the interest of the well-being of the citizens and development of the nation, the sultan also advised Muslims to use the occasion of this year’s fasting to pray to Allah for the progress, peace and prosperity of the country. He enjoined the Muslim faithful to devote themselves fully to the worship of Allah throughout the holy month. He also called for sustained prayers for leaders to enable them to lead the country to prosperity. “We further call on Nigerians to continue to live peacefully with one another irrespective of religious and tribal differences,” he added. The sultan further admonished wealthy individuals to assist the poor and stressed the need for increased religious tolerance and brotherhood in Nigeria.
The observance of Ramadan fast in the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar is one of the five fundamental principles of Islam without which a person’s belief in the Islamic faith remains incomplete. In Islam, Ramadan fast entails abstinence from eating, drinking, smoking and conjugal relationships between dawn and sunset for the entire period of the month of Ramadan. The injunction of this religious obligation is in The Qur’an 2:183 wherein Allah, the Exalted, says, “O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you that ye may (learn) self-restraint.” Ramadan fast is observed for 29 or 30 days, depending on when the crescent of Shawwal, the tenth month in the Islamic lunar calendar, is sighted.
Apart from physical abstinence from food in addition to other restrictions placed upon believers during the daytime of Ramadan, Muslims are further enjoined to use this holy season to exhibit the virtues of tolerance, hospitality, charity and kindness especially to the indigent members of the society. They are thus exhorted to give alms, feed the poor and invite others including non-Muslims to break the Ramadan fast with them. The act of benevolence in Ramadan fosters better religious understanding, harmony and social cohesion, all of which are most desirable to a multi-faith and heterogeneous society like Nigeria.
Ramadan fast imbues the genuine believer with patience and perseverance. When a Muslim fasts, the pains of physical deprivation are felt but patiently endured. This deprivation and endurance, though temporary, make the individual to be conscious of the effects of such pains suffered by many others, who perhaps live in penury with limited access to the basic necessities of life.
The essence of this month requires Muslims to exercise moderation in whatever they are engaged. They are encouraged not to gorge themselves on meals such that it becomes impossible to wake up and spend the night in worship. Muslims in Nigeria, as leaders and the led, should seize the spiritual opportunity availed by Ramadan to eschew all vices that have bedeviled this country and hindered its goal of becoming a truly self-reliant and developed one.
We call on scholars and preachers to be true to their calling as leaders in society; remaining sensitive to the peculiar circumstances in the country. Inflammatory and inciting words or expressions should be avoided in their commentaries of the Qur’an and other religious books. Good preaching in Islam requires the deployment of wisdom and courteous words. Preachers are advised to educate their audiences on the virtues of employing non-violent means to advance any grievances they may harbour.
Ramadan calls for the abandonment of greed. We urge dealers in essential commodities not to take undue advantage of the Ramadan period to make usurious profits by increasing prices of foodstuff which are already on the high side. Daily Trust wishes all Muslims a peaceful and rewarding Ramadan.
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