The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has declared Wednesday, July 6, as Eid-el-Fitr day in Nigeria.
The President-General of the organisation, and Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, who made the announcement, said the new moon of Shawwal had not been sighted anywhere in Nigeria and therefore enjoined muslims in the country to fast on Tuesday and observe the eid prayers on Wednesday.
The NSCIA had on Sunday asked every Muslim in the country to look for the new moon between Sunday and Monday for the Eid el-Fitri.
The Secretary-General of the council, Is-haq Oloyede in a statement on Sunday, said the council, under the leadership of the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, enjoined all Muslims to look for the moon.
Elsewhere, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and a few other countries had earlier announced Wednesday as Eid-el-Fitri day in their various countries.
Eid-el-Fitri celebrations are used to mark the end of the month-long Ramadan fast.
The Supreme Court of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has announced that the new crescent of the month of Shawwal has not been sighted and that the month of Ramadan will be 30 days and not 29.
Authorities in the Kingdom told citizens to fast on Tuesday.
Also, the Majlis Ugama Islam in Singapore on Monday announced that Muslims in the country would celebrate Eid-el-Fitr on Wednesday July 6.
The announcement is made after there was no confirmed report of moon-sighting from any part of the country.
“According to astronomical calculations, the crescent for the month of Shawwal did not appear during sunset today as it has set earlier than the sun. This signifies that tomorrow will be the end of 30 days of Ramadan.
“As such, I am pleased to declare that the first day of Shawwal for the year 1437 Hijrah falls on Wednesday, 6th July 2016”, Mohamed Bakaram of the Republic of Singapore said in a statement.
A similar announcement to celebrate Eid-el-Fitr on Wednesday has also been made by Indonesia.
Since United States, United Kingdom, Canada and European countries normally rely on moon announcements by Saudi Arabia, Muslims in these countries will celebrate Eidel-Fitr along with their counterparts in the Arab states.
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