The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has officially declared the sighting of the Ramadan crescent, signaling the imminent start of the Islamic holy month of fasting.
In an announcement made on its Twitter platform, @Haramaininfo, on Sunday, Saudi Arabia confirmed the sighting of the Ramadan crescent, setting the beginning of Ramadan 1445/2024 for Monday, March 11, 2024.
The tweet further stated, “Taraweeh Prayers will begin in the Two Holy Mosques after Isha Prayers.”
While the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) had previously tentatively set the commencement dates for Ramadan fasting as March 11 and March 12, 2024, pending the sighting of the moon after sunset on Sunday, March 10, the official declaration is awaited.
In a statement issued by Prof. Salisu Shehu, Deputy Secretary-General of the NSCIA, the Council urged the Muslim community to observe the skies on the specified date, equivalent to the 29th of Sha’aban 1445 AH, and promptly report any credible sightings of the crescent to the National Moon Sighting Committee.
However, as of the time of this report, the Sultan of Sokoto, who traditionally announces the commencement of Ramadan fasting in Nigeria, has yet to issue an official statement, despite the announcement from Saudi Arabia.
