Nigerian Muslims to celebrate Eid-el-Fitri Thursday as new moon is sighted

The Islamic month of Shawwal has started.

Millions of Nigerian Muslims will celebrate the Eid-el-Fitri on Thursday.

This follows the announcement by the Sultan of Sokoto and head of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs that the new moon has been cited in Sokoto and Maiduguri, the Nigeria Television Authority, NTA, reports.

The new moon marks the end of the 29-day long Ramadan and the start of the Islamic month of Shawwal.

President Goodluck Jonathan and other leaders have felicitated with Muslims on the Sallah celebrations.

The federal government had already declared Thursday and Friday as public holidays for the celebration.

The Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA)had on Tuesday night asked Muslims to look out for new moon on Wednesday night to mark the end of the Ramadan fast.
In a statement entitled: Termination of Ramadan Fast 1434/2013 by its Secretary General, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, the NSCIA reminded Muslims of the importance of sighting of the crescent moon before terminating their fast.
Prof. Oloyede said, “Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is reported to have said:”Commence fasting when you sight the (Ramadan) crescent and terminate fasting when you sight the (Shawwal) crescent.
“But if the sky is cloudy, then, count 30 days of Sha’ban or of Ramadan as the case may be”.
“Therefore, in accordance with the Prophetic tradition, Muslims all over Nigeria are hereby urged to look for the new crescent of Shawwal on Wednesday, August, 7, 2013 CE (which corresponds to 29thh day of Ramadan, 1434 AH.
“To this effect, members of the national Moon Sighting Committee have been deployed with appropriate gadgets to various parts of the country for easy sighting of the moon”, he said.
Mr. Oloyede said other individuals who are able to sight the
crescent are requested to contact, through appropriate authorities, any of the following:
1. The President-General of NSCIA and the Sultan of Sokoto Tel:08036470422
2. The Deputy President-General (North) of the NSCIA and the Shehu of Borno
3. The Deputy President-General (South) of the NSCIA and Aare Musulumi of Yoruba Land Tel:08027780076
4. The Secretary General, Prof. Is-haq O Oloyede on ioloyede@yahoo.co.uk
5. The Emir of Gwandu and all other Emirs
6. The Lamido of Adamawa
7. The Esu Nupe
8. The Otaru of Auchi
9. The Deputy Secretary-General (South) of NSCIA (Sheikh Adam Idoko)
Tel:08036759892
10. The President of the League of Imams and Alfas in Yoruba Land: Chief
Imam of Osogbo
11. The Baba Adini of Lagos, Sheikh Hafiz Abou and
12. The Chairman, National Moon Sighting Committee, Dr. Hafis Wali on 08036009090.”
He added, “Where the authorities are satisfied that the crescent has been duly sighted, the President-General and Sultan of Sokoto would announce the termination of Ramadan Fast and the observance of Eid-el-Fitr Prayer the following day, that is Thursday August 8th, 2013.
“In the event of the moon not being sighted on Wednesday Aug. 7, 2013, the Eid-el-Fitr Prayer shall be observed on Friday, Aug. 9, 2013.”
The Council reminded the Muslims of the necessity of paying Zakatul Fitr with the intention of lifting the hearts of the indigent members of the community.
It also felicitated with the Nigerian Muslim Ummah on the completion of the Ramadan Fast and wished them abundant blessings from Allah.
The NSCIA urged Muslims “to continue to pray for the peaceful co-existence of all Nigerians and keep the valued lessons and gains of the sacred month as spiritual guide against current provocative utterances from certain quarters that may lead to iniquities.”