Sokoto-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Musa Lukuwa and his followers, have observed Eid-el-fitr prayer on Thursday in defiance to the Sultan of Sokoto’s directive that Friday was the Sallah day.
The scholar led the two-unit prayer at his popular Mabera mosque around 9.10am today.
Sheikh Lukuwa was said to have addressed his followers shortly the Sultan declared Friday as Sallah day following the outcome of the moon sighting committee which confirmed that the new crescent of Shawwal was not sighted any where In the country.
In his address which went viral on social media platforms, the cleric hinged their decision to observe eid on Thursday on the sighting of the moon in the neighbouring Niger Republic.
“We heard about the sighting of the new moon by our immediate neighbour, Niger Republic and it was confirmed and announced by their leaders. And we have trusted followers there who we have contacted and also confirmed the development.
“Niger is no far from us is just about 100 kilometers. If we can agree with sources in Kano which is 500 kilometers away from Sokoto and Lagos, we don’t have any reason whatsoever not to accept the outcome of the moon sighting in our immediate neighbour which is the Niger Republic.
“We are not doing this because we don’t recognize the Sultan, we used to start and stop fasting at his instances but when it became evidently clear for us that the moon is sighted we have to agree even if it is against the declaration of the Sultan. This is what the teaching of the Holy Prophet says,” he stressed.
Mr Lukuwa recalled that it was the late Sheikh Abubakar Mahmoud Gummi who was making announcement on the moon sighting before it was made the responsibility of the Sultan for unity of the ummah.
“But the Sultan did no do the right thing, we will not follow him,” he insisted.
