UPDATED: No Moon Sighted In Nigeria, Fasting May Continue – Sultan of Sokoto Declares

UPDATED: No Moon Sighted In Nigeria, Fasting May Continue – Sultan of Sokoto Declares

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, presided by His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has confirmed that fasting may continue on Sunday because Nigeria has not sighted the moon, which indicates the end of the month of Ramadan.

This development was made this known in a statement signed by the Secretary-General, Prof Is-haq Oloyede, on Saturday.

He also urged the Muslims to search for the crescent of Shawwal on the 29th of Ramadan, stressing, “If Muslims sight the crescent in accordance with the moon sighting and verification standards, then His Eminence would declare Sunday, March 30, 2025 as the 1st of Shawwal and the day of Idul Fitr.”

The statement read, “The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), under the leadership of His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alh. Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, felicitates the Nigerian Muslim Ummah and the entire Muslim world on the auspicious occasion of the 1446 A.H. Idul Fitr.

“We beseech Allah to grant everyone the opportunity to witness many more of it in good health and divine guidance. In the spirit of Ramadan, Muslims are reminded that Zakatul Fitr is a compulsory food levy imposed on privileged Muslims, to be given to the less privileged in society.

“The Council, therefore, appeals to all concerned Muslims to ensure that they comply and do so in good time. The stipulated practice is to give out the prescribed measurement to beneficiaries in the last two days of Ramadan, but before the Eid prayer. Moreover, consequent upon the advice of the National Moon Sighting Committee (NMSC), the President-General enjoins the Nigerian Muslim Ummah to search for the crescent of Shawwal 1446 A.H. immediately after sunset on Saturday, 29th Ramadan 1446 A.H., which is equivalent to 29th March 2025.”

Furthermore, the Sultan also mentioned that if the moon is not sighted, then Monday, March 31st, 2025, becomes Eid al-Fitr.

Recall earlier that Saudi Arabia had declared on Saturday that the crescent of Shawwal had been sighted.