Sultan directs Muslims to sight Jumada Assaniya moon Monday

By Musa Ubandawaki, Sokoto SOKOTO – The Sultanate Council of Sokoto has called on Muslims across Nigeria to search for the new crescent moon of Jumada Assaniya 1448AH on Monday, November 9, 2026. The directive was contained in a statement dated November 8, 2026, signed by Professor Sambo Wali Junaidu and made available to journalists on Sunday. According to the statement, the Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs of the Sultanate Council identified Monday as the 29th day of Jumada al-Ula 1448AH and the appropriate date for the nationwide moon-sighting exercise.

The council urged Muslims across the country to actively participate in the exercise by looking out for the new crescent moon after sunset on Monday. It specifically requested anyone who sights the crescent to promptly report the observation to the nearest District or Village Head for onward transmission to His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA).

The council stressed the importance of timely and credible reports of confirmed sightings to enable the Sultan to make the appropriate religious announcement on the commencement of the new Islamic month. It noted that the Sultan remains the recognised authority responsible for communicating the outcome of the moon-sighting exercise to Muslims across the country.

The announcement underscores the role of the Sultanate Council in coordinating Islamic religious affairs and guiding the Muslim Ummah on matters concerning the Islamic lunar calendar. In a prayer, Professor Sambo Wali Junaidu, Waziri and Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs of the Sultanate Council, asked Allah (SWT) to grant Muslims the guidance and strength to discharge the religious responsibility successfully.

The council also prayed for divine assistance and acceptance of the exercise, urging Muslims to approach the assignment with sincerity, vigilance and a strong sense of religious commitment.