SULTANATE COUNCIL ANNOUNCES MONDAY AS COMMENCEMENT OF DHUL-HIJJAH

By— Pen Blog Media.
Date: Monday, 18th May, 2026 | 1st Dhul-Hijjah, 1447 AH.

















THE Sultanate Council of Sokoto has officially confirmed the sighting of the crescent moon, signalling the beginning of Dhul-Hijjah 1447AH, with Monday, May 18, 2026, declared as the first day of the Islamic month in Nigeria.

The announcement followed reports of moon sightings received from different parts of the country and subsequently approved by the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, who also serves as the President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA).

The development was communicated through the Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs of the Sultanate Council, chaired by the Wazirin Sokoto, Prof. Sambo Wali Junaidu.

Before the declaration, Muslims across Nigeria had earlier been urged by the Sultanate Council to search for the Dhul-Hijjah crescent on Sunday evening, corresponding to the 29th day of Dhul-Qa’adah 1447AH, in accordance with Islamic lunar traditions.

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Shortly after the confirmation, the National Moonsighting Committee also updated its official platforms, stating that Monday, May 18, marks the first day of Dhul-Hijjah 1447AH.

Dhul-Hijjah occupies a significant position in the Islamic calendar as the month in which Muslims perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage and observe Eid al-Adha, one of Islam’s major religious celebrations.

With the new month now confirmed, the Day of Arafah is expected to be observed on Tuesday, May 26, while Eid al-Adha celebrations are likely to hold on Wednesday, May 27, subject to final religious confirmations.

The Sultanate Council encouraged Muslims to maximise the sacred season through prayers, fasting, charity, and other righteous acts, while also praying for peace and stability across Nigeria.

Islamic months are traditionally determined through physical sighting of the lunar crescent, a process supervised by recognised religious authorities and moon sighting committees in many Muslim countries.

Muslims nationwide are now expected to commence the spiritually significant first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, a period widely regarded in Islamic teachings as among the most virtuous days for worship and devotion.

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