A Sokoto-based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Musa Lukuwa, on Thursday led his followers in observing Eid al-Fitr prayers, going against the official directive of the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, who had declared Friday as the day for the celebration.
The cleric conducted the two-unit Eid prayer at his mosque in Mabera around 9:10 a.m., just hours after the Sultan announced that the Shawwal crescent moon had not been sighted anywhere in Nigeria. Based on that announcement, Muslims across the country were expected to continue fasting for an additional day.
Explaining his decision in a message shared on social media, Lukuwa said he acted on verified reports that the moon had been sighted in neighbouring Niger Republic.
According to him, the proximity of Niger Republic to Sokoto made the reports credible. He argued that if sightings from distant Nigerian cities like Kano or Lagos are accepted, then those from a nearby country should not be dismissed.
The cleric, however, insisted that his action was not meant to challenge the authority of the Sultan. Rather, he said it was guided by his understanding of Islamic teachings.
“We usually follow the Sultan’s directive when it comes to the start and end of Ramadan. But when there is clear evidence that the moon has been sighted, we must act in line with the teachings of the Prophet, even if it differs,” he explained.
Providing historical context, Lukuwa recalled the era of Abubakar Mahmoud Gummi, when respected scholars independently announced moon sightings before the process was centralised under the Sultan to ensure unity among Muslims.
He maintained that, in this instance, the Sultan’s decision was incorrect. Reports also indicate that he informed his followers around midnight and asked them to gather for prayers the following morning.
In Nigeria, the Sultan of Sokoto who also serves as the President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs is widely recognised as the authority responsible for declaring the beginning and end of Ramadan based on verified moon sightings across the country.
While his pronouncements are generally followed to maintain unity, disagreements over moon sightings especially when reports come from neighbouring countries have occasionally led to differing observances among some clerics and communities, particularly in northern Nigeria.
This is not the first time Sheikh Lukuwa and his followers have taken a position different from the Sultan’s, highlighting an ongoing debate within Islamic jurisprudence about whether moon sightings beyond national borders should be accepted.
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