17th October, 2012
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, on Wednesday declared 26 October as Ed-el-Kabir Day following the sighting of the new crescent on Oct. 16.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Chairman, Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs to the Sultanate Council, Prof. Sambo Junaid.
The statement said, ” The sultanate council advisory committee at its meeting on October 16, reviewed reports received from various moon sighting committees across the country.
“They have duly confirmed the birth of the new moon of Zulhijja, 1433 After Hijra of the Holy Prophet with effect from Wednesday, Oct. 17, which is the first day of Zulhijja.
“Friday, the 26 of October, is the 10th day of Zulhijja, 1433 AH, which is the Ed-el-Kabir day.
“His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar wishes all Muslims a happy Ed-el-kabir. May Allah accept our religious deeds, Ameen.”
From Saudi Arabia also came reports that The Saudi Supreme Court on Tuesday announced that pilgrims would ascend mount
Arafat (Standing on Arafat) on October 25 and that the first day of the Islamic calendar month of Eid Al-Adha will be October 26,
The court said that the lunar month of Dhul Hijjah would start on Wednesday, October 17, in accordance with what had been reported
to the Supreme Court by courts and committees in charge of sighting the crescent of the lunar month of Dhul Hijjah.
A statement from the Saudi Arabia government issued by the Director of Public Security, Gen. Saeed Bin Abdullah Al-Qahtani,
posted on the Arafat official Website, announced the Arafat day as pilgrims from various countries including Nigeria converged
on the Holy land..
“Prince Ahmad Bin Abdul Aziz, Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Supreme Hajj Committee, will on Saturday evening inspect
arrangements for this year’s Hajj season,” the statement added.
The statement disclosed that no fewer than 1.4 million pilgrims from 160 countries have so far arrived for this years Hajj.
Pilgrims from Nigeria are about 95,000.