Friday 31st January is 1st Sha’aban 1446 AH – Sultan
By BASHIR ADEFAKA
The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has declared Friday 31st January 2025 as the 1st day of Sha’aban 1446 AH.
This was due to the fact that new moon for the commencement of the seventh month of Islamic calendar year was not born let alone it would be sighted after sunset of Wednesday 29th January that was equivalent to 29th Rajab.
Details of the declaration were contained in a statement signed by His Royal Highness the Waziri of Sokoto, Professor Sambo Wali Junaidu, who is also the Chairman Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Sultanate Council, Sokoto, dated Wednesday January 29, 2025 and copy sent to The DEFENDER.
“The Sultan Council Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs in conjunction with the National Moon Sighting Committee did not receive any report from various moon sighting committees across the country, confirming the sighting of the crescent of Sha’aban 1446 AH on Wednesday, 29th January, 2025 equivalent to 29th Rajab 1446AH,” the statement said.
It submitted that the month of Rajab will now be counted to complete 30, “Therefore, Thursday, 30th January, 2025 will be 30th Rajab 1446 AH.”
According to the statement, “His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, Sultan of Sokoto and President General Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has accepted the report, and accordingly declared Friday, 31st January, 2025 the first day of Sha’aban 1446 AH.”
The DEFENDER reports that, by implications, commencement of annual fasting that is one of five vital pillars of Islamic religion – from Friday 31st January that is first day of Sha’aban will be 29 or 30 days left depending on sighting of the new moon of Ramadan 1446 AH and announcement of same by the Sultan.
Rajab, Sha’aban and Ramadan are seventh, eighth and ninth months of Islamic calendar year, respectively, used to count activities in Islamic religious practice.
The Sultan, in his resolve to lead the Muslim Ummah of Nigeria well to enable them achieve their time-connected worship without misdoings, took it upon himself to announce sighting of new moon on monthly basis, which he has consistently done since ascending the Usmaniyyah Throne of Sokoto Caliphate about 19 years ago, precisely on 2nd November 2006.
