Eid-el-Fitr: Search for crescent of Shawwal today, Sultan directs Muslims

THE Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has directed the Muslim ummah to search for the crescent of Shawwal 1443 AH immediately after sunset today, Saturday, April 30, 2022, equivalent to 29 Ramadan 1443 AH. 

A statement by the Director of Administration of the NSCIA, Malam Zubairu Haruna Usman-Ugwu, said the Sultan’s directive was sequel to the advice of the National Moon Sighting Committee (NMSC). 

The statement said if the crescent was sighted today by Muslims of impeccable character, then the Sultan would declare tomorrow, Sunday, 1 May, 2022, as the first day of Shawwal and the day of Eid-el-Fitr. 

It urged Muslims all over the country to be on the lookout for the announcement to be made by the Sultan tonight. 

It said if, however, the crescent was not sighted today, then Monday, 2 May, 2022, automatically becomes the day of Eid-el-Fitr. 

Meanwhile, the Sultan-led NSCIA has felicitated Nigerian Muslims and the entire Muslim world on the occasion of this year’s Eid-el-Fitr. In Usman-Ugwu’s statement, the NSCIA, however, expressed concern about the skyrocketing prices of food and consumables in the country and appealed to the government to stem the tide of inflation. 

The organisation appealed to politicians to consider politics as a service to the nation, which should not be pursued as a do-or-die affair. 

It said: “Nigerians should freely choose their leaders on the basis of those who will lead them with justice, fairness and character in line of our usual prayer, ‘O Allah, make the best of us our leaders, and don’t make the worst of us our leaders. Don’t make us, on account of our sins, be under those who will neither fear you nor be compassionate to us’. 

“We urge Muslims to exercise their rights to contest for elective positions and also participate actively in the electoral process by not only obtaining their Permanent Voters Cards, which is still ongoing, but also casting their votes on the days of elections. The council insists that it is a religious duty for every Muslim to obtain his/ her voter’s card. 

“We welcome the policy of the Nigeria Police Force to allow female personnel to use head covering just as it is done in other civilised countries of the world, including the United States, Britain and Canada. Other military, paramilitary and security agencies are also urged to toe the line because that is the right way to go to promote inclusivity and civility in service.” 

The NSCIA appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government to find an amicable solution to the ongoing strike “and not allow some unscrupulous individuals to mobilise students in the name of protests to destabilise the country.” 

Also, it called on security agencies to up their game and address the “dangerous security situation” in the country. 

The body advised Muslims to pray fervently, especially during the concluding part of Ramadan, for peace, security and wellbeing of Nigeria and Nigerians.