PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, on Sunday, joined others for prayers at the National Eid ground in Abuja, as Nigerian Muslims mark the Eid-Al-Fitr celebrations together with millions of others around the world.
Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu and some ministers are also observing the prayer in the same venue.
Eid-Al-Fitr, meaning the festival of breaking the fast, is a time of gratitude, charity and communal harmony.
It begins with special prayers known as Eid prayers held in Mosques and open spaces. Following the prayers, families share festive meals, exchange gifts and extend warm greetings.
Eid is a time to remember those less fortunate and to strengthen the bond of brotherhood and sisterhood. A key component of Eid is Zakat al Fitr, a mandatory charitable donation intended to ensure everyone irrespective of their financial situation can participate in the joy of the celebration.
This act of giving embodies the spirit of compassion and solidarity that Ramdan emphasizes. From the elaborate feast of South Asia to the festive clothing of Nigeria and the African continent and the warm gatherings of the Middle East, Eid celebrations vary across cultures, showcasing the rich diversity of the Muslim world.
However, the underlining message of unity, gratitude and compassion remains universal.
Saudi Arabia and some other Gulf Arab states are to celebrate the Eid al-Fitr holiday from Sunday but other Middle Eastern countries will not do so until Monday.
“The Supreme Court has decided that tomorrow, Sunday, March 30, 2025, is the first day of Eid al-Fitr,” the Saudi Royal Court said in a statement carried by official media.
The timing of the holiday, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, is determined by the sighting of the crescent moon, in accordance with the Muslim lunar calendar.
The United Arab Emirates and Qatar also announced Sunday would be the first day of the holiday.
But neighbouring Oman and Jordan, as well as Shiite-majority Iran, said that Eid al-Fitr would not begin until Monday because the crescent moon had yet to be sighted. Egypt and other North African countries followed suit.
In Nigeria, the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, on Saturday night, declared Sunday as equivalent to 1 Day of SHAWWAL 1446AH and Eid-Fitri day across Nigeria.
The Sultan, who is the President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), said the decision followed the report of National Moon Sighting Committees across the country confirming the sighting of the new moon in several places in Nigeria.
The Sultan felicitated with the Nigerian Muslim Ummah and wished them Allah’s guidance and blessings, urging them to sustain the lesson learnt during the holy month of Ramadan.
He also urged Muslim Ummah to continue to pray for peace, progress and development of the country, also wishes all Muslims well during and after the celebration.