Sultan of Sokoto declares April 24 as Ramadan 1, asks Muslims to commence fasting
By Bashir Adefaka
“Consequently, tomorrow Friday April 24, 2020 becomes the first day day of Ramadan 1441 A.H. Inshallah. We therefore call all Muslim brothers and sisters to commence fasting accordingly,” he said.
The Sultan of Sokoto and President General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Dr. Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has declared that tomorrow Friday April 24, 2020 is first day of Ramadan 1441 A.H. and therefore called on Muslim faithful across the country to commence fasting.
Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar made the declaration Thursday night following sighting of the new moon of Ramadan in parts of the country as coordinated by the National Moonsighting Committee (NMC).
“Consequently, tomorrow Friday April 24, 2020 becomes the first day of Ramadan 1441 A.H. Inshallah.
“We therefore call all Muslim brothers and sisters to commence fasting accordingly,” he said.
The Amirul Mu’mineen of Nigeria also called on the believing Muslims to seize the yet another opportunity provided by this year’s Ramadan fasting period to devote themselves to Allah, pray for the leaders of the country, sustenance of peace and stability as well as pray for Allah’s intervention to take the nation and world out of the current outbreak of coronavirus pandemic.
He urged that Muslims should abide by rules and regulations provided by he health organisations to stop the spread of the dangerous disease.
“We would like to seize this opportunity to implore the Muslim Ummah to devote ourselves fully to Allah (S. W T.) throughout the Holy Month of Ramadan, pray for the blessings of Almighty Allah for our leaders at all levels to succeed in steering the affairs of our country and for the sustenance of peace and stability as well as continue to pray specifically for Almighty Allah’s intervention on this outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and further call on all Muslims to abide by the rules and regulations provided by the health organisations to stop its spread.
“We also urge all Muslims to use this Holy Month of Ramadan to meditate, rededicate themselves to the teachings of Islam and to continue to live peacefully with one another, irrespective of religious, tribal” and political backgrounds, the Sultan said.
Dr. Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, after his retirement from the Nigeria Army as a Brigadier General upon his ascension to the throne of the Sultan, has in the last 14 years been steering the affairs of the Nigeria’s over 100 million Muslims ensuring the unity of the Ummah and establishing a blend that continues to see sustainable peaceful coexistence among people of various religious and ethnic backgrounds in the country.
For once in the history of centuries old in this part of Africa, Nigerian Muslim Ummah has had the last 14 years of Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar on the throne and its leadership to thank Allah for the unified process of commencement and termination of Ramadan fasting in the country.
