THE Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), headed by the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has announced that the moon has been sighted in Nigeria today, Saturday March 29.
The Sultan, in a video seen on Saturday, said the Eid al-Fitr for the year 1446/2025 will be celebrated on Sunday, March 30, 2025.
The NSCIA had earlier announced that the fasting in Nigeria would continue because the Ramadan moon had not been sighted in Nigeria.
The NSCIA disclosed this in a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Is-haq Oloyede, a professor, on Saturday.
The ICIR reported on Saturday that Saudi Arabia officially announced that Eid al-Fitr will be observed on Sunday, March 30, following the sighting of the Shawwal crescent moon on Saturday evening.
It also stated that Eid al-Fitr marks the beginning of the new Islamic month and the end of the holy month of Ramadan, during which millions of Muslims worldwide observe fasting.
The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) disclosed this following a directive from the Saudi Supreme Court, which had earlier urged Muslims across the kingdom to observe the sky for the new moon.
The ICIR reports that the Islamic calendar, also known as the Hijri calendar, follows lunar cycles, with each month beginning upon the sighting of the new moon. Shawwal, the tenth month in the Islamic calendar, comes after Ramadan and serves as a time of spiritual renewal and gratitude for Muslims worldwide.
While Saudi Arabia will observe Eid on Sunday, some countries, including Malaysia, Australia, Brunei, and Indonesia, have announced that their celebrations will be held on Monday, March 31, as the moon was not sighted in those regions.
The ICIR reports that Eid al-Fitr, also known as the “Festival of Breaking the Fast,” is a major Islamic celebration that unites families and communities for prayers, feasting, and charitable acts, particularly the giving of Zakat al-Fitr, a mandatory charity to the less privileged before the Eid prayer.
The ICIR reported that the Nigerian government had declared Monday, March 31, and Tuesday, April 1, as public holidays to mark the Eid-el-Fitr celebration.
A reporter with the ICIR
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