SHAWWAL MOONSIGHTING 1441H
#Thread

Eid mubarak, May Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) accept our worship ameen.

For years Ramadan begins or ends with some controversies about sighting of the crescent in Nigeria, in 2008 we had three different Eid days in Nigeria.

In 2009 NSCIA under the leadership of H.E the Sultan of Sokoto organized a National conference in Abuja to discuss the solution to moonsighting issues in Nigeria. Scholars, experts and academicians were invited from all over Nigeria. It was agreed that the NSCIA should have a

It was agreed that the NSCIA should have a National moonsighting commitee that will report monthly moonsighting reports to NSCIA and it was also agreed that the criteria should be in accordance to the sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ) i.e use of naked eye sighting,

and science/ modern technology should be used to compliment and avoid false sightings. The pioneer Chairman of the National moonsighting commitee was late Group Captain Usman Jibrin and late Prof Abubakar Aliyu Gwandu as deputy Chairman ( May Allah have mercy on them both ameen).

At the conference it was also agreed that all Emirates should form official moonsighting commitees too and should work together with the National moonsighting commitee. Find attached below the list of current members of National moonsighting commitee .

Islamic lunar year has 354 days with 6 months completing 30days and 6 months with 29days. That’s why it’s very rare to have a particular month maintaining 29 days for years. In Nigeria for over forty years Sha’ban and Ramadan always had 29days, which is impossible.

The first time we completed 30days in Ramadan was in the year 2010. Most countries complete 30 days in Ramadan about 3-4 times in 10 years. But in Nigeria we are used to fasting for 29 days that’s one major reason why some people find it difficult to accept it when we complete it

In mid 90’s there was a time Shawwal crescent was reported sighted in Nigeria in the supposedly 29 day of Ramadan in Nigeria while it was 27th day in other countries. When I attend international conferences they jokingly say “ Nigeria has its on moon “ because we claim to sight

because we claim to sight it even before the conjunction ( new moon). Conjunction ( new moon) occurs at the same day and time in the whole world and it can be accurately calculated . A crescent is visible with a telescope at about 12hrs after conjunction and visible with the

A crescent is visible with a telescope at about 12hrs after conjunction and visible with the naked eye about 17hrs after conjunction if atmospheric conditions are favorable.

Just like the sun, the moon rises from the East daily and sets at the west. A new moon sets at about the same time with the sun that’s why solar eclipse occur during new moon. Unlike the sun, moon rise and set times increases with about 50 mins every day,

That’s the reason why the moon stays longer on 2nd day after sunset.
The conjunction of Shawwal crescent occurred on Friday 29th Ramadan at 6:39pm in Nigeria and moonset was before sunset too, making it practically impossible to sight the crescent.

H.E the Sultan only received one sighting claim before a statement was released at about 8:20pm. H.E the Sultan called me by 7pm and said an Emir called him by 6:58pm to inform him that he has received a positive sighting claim from his Emirates, but the Sultan rejected the claim

but the Sultan rejected the claim because sunset was at 6:57pm that evening in that Emirate, meaning the sighting claim was before sunset which is not in accordance to Sharia. (Sighting of a new crescent is possible after sunset with about 10mins because of the sun’s glare)

An official statement was released by the Sultanate at about 8:20pm when there was no sighting claim. Afterwards we started hearing about sighting claims. My attention was drawn by a twitter user that the crescent was sighted in Gashua , I later on received other claims too.

I got the contact number of the person in Gashua Yobe state, I called him and he gave me the phone number of one of his two students that sighted the crescent. I called him and he testified that he and 9 others sighted the crescent by 6:36pm ( sunset was at 6:36pm in Gashua).

I asked him about the crescent’s shape and he said it was facing south. I told him to please come back to same location the next day to confirm to me if the crescent is sighted from the same spot and it’s the same shape.

and its the same shape because if it was indeed sighted that evening then the next day it should clearly be visible to all.
I received contact details of another group in Gashua that claimed sighting the crescent, I called him and he said they went out in a group of 20

To a location in the southern part of the town, he said they took a binoculars with them and they first saw the crescent by 6:25pm before sunset ( it’s impossible to sight a new crescent with a binoculars or telescope before sunset because the crescent is too close to the sun)

The he said the crescent was later sighted with the naked eye by 6:50pm. He also said the crescent was facing south, I told him to please go to same location the following day so as to confirm if the crescent is sighted from same position and the shape is same. It’s important to

mention that a crescent maintains the same shape the following day after a new moon, it only appears bigger.
I also received contact details of someone in Jalingo Taraba state who claimed sighting the crescent, I called him and he said while eating after praying Magrib

his friend sighted the crescent and he and some other people also sighted it later at about 6:55pm and he said the crescent was facing down. Coincidentally when I called he was with his friend that sighted the crescent too, I spoke with the friend and he said

the crescent was facing south. I received other sighting claims and I spoke with them too:
Unguwan Jeji KEBBI state sighted by 10 people at 7:05pm and the crescent was facing up.
Kafin Madaki Bauchi state sighted by about 10 people at 6:55pm and the crescent was facing north

Unguwan Iya Zaria sighted by a group of 8 at 6:50pm and the crescent was facing down.
Gummi Zamfara state sighted by a group of 10 at 7:10pm and the crescent was facing south.
Gummi 2nd group of about 5 sighted at about 7:04pm and it wa facing south.

The following day yesterday Saturday 30th Ramadan I called all of them to confirm the shape and appearance after sunset but nobody sighted the crescent . Some claimed atmospheric conditions were not favorable. As a Muslim I doubt if anybody will deliberately lie about sighting

the crescent to mislead people. From experience when you go out to search for a crescent and if you are inexperienced you sometimes mistaken even tiny thin clouds as a crescent or sometimes the reflection of the sun’s light on some planets can deceive you.

Yesterday the crescent was not easily visible widely in Nigeria because it was about 24hrs old after sunset but today it will clearly visible and big because will be about 48hrs after sunset.