The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar has declared tomorrow Sunday as Eid el Fitr day to mark the end of the month-long Ramadan fast.
This, according to the Sultan who is also the president-general of the Nigerian National Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, followed the non-sighting of the month of Shawwal in Nigeria.
Speaking yesterday through chairman Advisory Council on Religious Affairs to the Sultanate, Professor Sambo Junaid, in Sokoto, the Sultan urged Muslims to carry on with fasting today.
Muslims in the country have earlier been asked to look out for the Shawwal moon yesterday.
In a related development, Saudi Arabia also declared Sunday as the 1st of Shawwal. “Due to the lack of evidence of sighting the new moon this evening of Friday the 29th of Ramadan of this year 1433 H corresponding to 17/8/2012, the Supreme Court decides that Saturday corresponding to 18/8/2012 is the complementary day of Ramadan 1433 H. and that Sunday corresponding to 1/10/1433 H. according to Ummal Qura calendar which falls on the 19th of August 2012 is the first day of Eid Al-Fitr which falls on the first day of Shawwal 1433 H,” a statement by the Saudi Royal Court read yesterday.
