Sultan of Sokoto declares Friday June 7th as Dhul-Hijjah 1st
By BASHIR ADEFAKA
Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for ilIslamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has declared Friday 7th June 2024 as the 1st day of Dhul-Hijjah 1445 AH.
The Sultan’s declaration was made via a statement issued and signed by Chairman of the Religious Advisory Committee of the Sultanate Council, Sokoto, Pressor Sambo Wali Junaidu, and copy of which was sent to The DEFENDER this night of Thursday June 6, 2024 which is equivalent to Dhul-Qadah 29, 1445 AH.
The state said, “His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has declared Friday June 7th 2024, as the first day of Zulhijjah 1445AH.
“Therefore, Sunday 16th June, 2024, which will be equivalent to 10th Zulhijjah 1445AH will be marked as this year’s Eid-El-Kabir.”
It said, “His Eminence, the Sultan felicitates with the Nigeria Muslim Ummah and wishes them Allah’s guidance and blessings.
“The Sultan while urging the Muslim Ummah to continue to pray for peace, progress and development of the country also wishes all Muslim a Happy Eid-El-Kabir.
“May Allah (SWT) accept our religious deeds, amen,” said the statement.
The DEFENDER reports that the Thursday’s night announcement of Dhul-Hijjah moon sighting marks the completion of the Sultan’s tasking yet all-important religious assignment ensuring that Muslim Ummah of world’s most populous black nation are properly guided with a view to knowing the correct date and timing for commencing and terminating the compulsory worship of their Lord, Allah, as regards each of the 12 lunar months of Islamic calendar year.
The Nigeria’s traditionally instituted moon sighting project has again been attested as one of the most accurate with announcement by the only authority to announce the dates for Hajj exercies, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which also declared sighting of the new moon of Dhul-Hijjah Thursday night on Dhul-Qadah 29, 1445 AH meaning that Friday June 7, 2024 will be Dhul-Hijjah 1, 1445 AH.
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia, a country that is two hours ahead of Nigeria in terms timing, had declared Sunday June 16 that is Dhul-Hijjah 10, as the day of Eid-El-Kabir for this year, following the sighting of the new moon.
According to the court, the moon sighting means that the Day of Arafat, an important day of Hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Makkah, will fall on Saturday June 15, 2024 equivalent to Dhul-Hijjah 9, 1445 AH.
This significant announcement comes as Muslims worldwide prepare for one of the most sacred holidays in the Islamic calendar.
The court’s confirmation on Thursday followed an earlier appeal to Muslims worldwide to watch for the crescent moon.
Although initial attempts by the country’s observatories were unsuccessful, a later witness report from Al Hareeq confirmed the sighting, prompting the official declaration.
This globalised online newspaper also reports that Dhul-Hijjah is the 12th month of Islamic calender ending which the New Hijrah Year will follow on Muharram 1, 1446 AH which will be equivalent to July 6, 2024 in event that the new moon of Muharram will be sighted on 29th Dhul-Hijjah, 1445AH.
