LOOK FOR THE NEW MOON TODAY, SULTAN ASKS MUSLIMS

The Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar yesterday called on Muslims to look for the new Moon of Shawwal, 1434 AH today. A statement signed by the Chairman, Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Sokoto Sultanate Council Professor Sambo Wali said today the 29th day of Ramadan, 1434 AH shall be the day to start looking for the new Moon of Shawwal. The sultan directed that the sighting of the moon should be reported to District or Village Head for onward communication to him through the following telephone numbers: 0803-715-7100; 0803-041-3534; 0803-507-3872; 0803-596-5322, 0803-314-3866 and 08039655997. If the moon is sighted today August 7, Eid al-Fitr will be celebrated tomorrow Thursday, August 8th, otherwise sallah will be Friday. However, the Supreme Court in Saudi Arabia requested the public to look for the new Shawwal crescent yesterday to determine when Eid Al-Fitr comes. But at the end of the day, the Saudi official newspaper, Al Arabiya, quoted the Supreme Court as saying that the new Shawwal crescent was not spotted in the kingdom, making Wednesday the 29th of Ramadan. The directive to look out for the moon on the 28th day of Ramadan was based on concerns that the fasting might have started a day late. If the crescent had been sighted, the Gulf News said, it would have meant that Ramadan would end in 28 days which should not be the case. Lunar months are either 29 or 30 days based on the birth of the moon on the sunset of the last day of the month. But Ramadan consisting of 28 days is not unique in the recent history of Muslims as it happened 30 years ago, it said. In 1984, the supreme cleric authority in Saudi Arabia admitted that the start of Ramadan of the year 1404 (1984 in the Gregorian calendar) was not correct. It said the end of Ramadan has to be watched on the eve of the 28th day instead of the regular watch of the moon on 29th of the month. Daily trust