Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III has declared Monday, May 6 as the first day of Ramadan, 1440 AH which marks the commencement of the Ramadan fast by the Muslims across the country.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar in which Muslims observe one-month fasting.
Making the announcement the Sultan in his palace in Sokoto, Abubakar said the commencement of the fast followed reports of sighting of the moon across various states of the federation which marked the end of the month of Shaaban 1440 AH.
Sultan Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto has declared Thursday as the first day for the beginning of the Ramadan fasting in Nigeria.
Abubakar announced the sighting of the new crescent in Sokoto on Wednesday in a broadcast.
The Sultan said that reports of the moon sighting were received from Muslim leaders and organisations across the country.
“Upon due verification and authentication by the states and national moon sighting committees and states confirmation, as well as routine scrutiny, the sighting of the new moon of Ramadan, signifies the end of Sha’aban 1440 AH.
”In accordance with Islamic law, Muslim Ummah are to commence fasting on Thursday accordingly.”
He enjoined all Muslims to devote themselves fully to the worship of Allah throughout the holy month, and use the period to pray for leaders, peace and stability prosperity of the nation.
“We further called on Nigerians to continue to live peacefully with one another irrespective of religious and tribal difference,” he said.