The Sultan of Sokoto, his eminence Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, has on Saturday, 31st August 2019 declared September 1, 2019, as the first day of the Muslims' month of Muharram for the year 1441AH.
The Sultan made the declaration in a statement issued on Saturday in Sokoto signed by Prof. Sambo Junaidu, the Chairman, Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs to the Sultanate Council.
In the statement, the Sultan informed that the declaration of the moon for the month of Muharram will usher in the Islamic New Year for 1441.
Adding that the first month, Muharram, is one of the four sacred months mentioned in the Holy Quran.
The other sacred months are the seventh month, Rajab, the 11th month, Dhu al-Qi’ dah and the 12th month, Dhu al-Hijjah.
In which, Muslims are expected to shun all sort of violence and exhibit good characters enshrined in the tenets of Islam.
The statement paraphrased in part to reading “The Sultanate Council Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, in conjunction with the National moon-sighting committee, did not receive any report indicating the sighting of the moon of Muharram on Friday 29th Dhu al-Hijjah as such, Saturday will be 3oth Dhu al-Hijjah and Sunday will eventually mark the first day of Muharram, 1441 having exhausted the thirty days of Dhu al-Hijjah.
The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), has accepted the report and accordingly declared Sunday, September 1, 2019, as the first day of Muharram 1441 AH.