There was no positive sighting of the crescent for the month of Muharram on Wednesday in Nigeria, according to a statement by the National Moonsighting Committee of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs.
The Committee said that today, August 20, 2020 remains Dhul-Hijjah 30, 1441 Hijrah, following reports of negative sighting from multiple areas of the country.
The Islamic Calendar is based on the lunar system and a new month begins with sighting of the moon on 29th of the ongoing month or the completion of 30 days.
Meanwhile, a number of Muslim countries have ushered in the new Islamic year, 1442, following positive sighting of the moon of Muharram, the first month of the Hijrah calendar.
Muslim News can confirm that the Muharram crescent was sighted in Middle East counties such Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt and other Arab states except Oman.
Local media in Saudi Arabia had late in the evening Wednesday reported that the Muharram moon was sighted at the Tamir Observatory, and hence Thurdsay will be the 1st day of the holy month and the Islamic New Year 1442 AH.
In a statement, Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi greeted Egyptians and the Muslim World on the Islamic New Year, 1442, noting that the period teaches various virtues as sincerity and determination.
أتقدم بخالص التهنئة للشعب المصري والأمة الإسلامية بمناسبة حلول العام الهجري الجديد، تلك المناسبة العطرة المليئة بمعان عامرة وسامية في قلوبنا، والتي تذكرنا برسالة النبي محمد العظيمة في صدق النية والعزم والإخلاص في بناء الأرض والوطن.
كل عام وأنتم بخير pic.twitter.com/rscBvZi7a6— Abdelfattah Elsisi (@AlsisiOfficial) August 20, 2020
