Eid-el-Fitr: Sultan Charges Muslims to Look for Crescent on Saturday
The Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has called on all Muslims across Nigeria to be vigilant and sight the crescent moon on Saturday, March 29, 2025, as the 29th day of Ramadan.
This moon sighting is crucial in proclaiming the end of the holy month of Ramadan and the commencement of Eid-el-Fitr, which signifies the termination of fasting and prayers.
Since the Islamic calendar follows the lunar cycle, it is the sighting of the new moon that establishes the precise date for religious festivals like Eid al-Fitr. Muslims are requested to be vigilant for the sighting of the crescent moon on the Saturday evening, and observers are asked to report their sightings to the local village or district heads.
In a statement, the Sultan emphasized the importance of this tradition, which holds that moon sighting will declare the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar, and thus the official start of Eid celebrations.
Muslims who spot the crescent moon can report sightings through the following contact numbers:
• 08037157100
• 07067416900
• 08066303077
• 08035965322
• 08099945903
The authentication of moon sighting will then be applied in the announcement officially for the end of Ramadan as well as the celebration of Eid al-Fitr, a significant holiday of significance within Islam.
This year, the crescent moon sighting on March 29 evening is likely to signal the start of Eid festivities, which would begin towards the end of the fasting period of Ramadan. Eid al-Fitr, also referred to as the “Festival of Breaking the Fast,” is a joyous celebration of family gatherings, banquets, and acts of charity.
The sighting of the crescent moon serves to remind all Muslims of the deep religious and cultural ties which bind them together as one people, with each year’s observance offering a chance to reflect, to give thanks, and to come together.
All Muslims across Nigeria and the world are invited to participate in this blessed tradition, ensuring the proper and timely declaration of the Eid festivals.
