Some Muslims in Yobe may ignore Sultan, to pray Eid-al-Fitr today

From Sa’adatu MAINA, Damaturu

Muslims iin Gashu’a, the headquarters of Bade Local Government and other towns in Yobe State may perform their Sallah today in defiance with the Sultan of Sokoto’s directive that it should hold on Sunday.

This was after a team of youths from a reputable Islamic group in Gashu’a sighted the moon of Shawwal after using sophisticated equipment to search for the new moon.

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Many residents of Gashu’a have shown willingness to ignore the Sultan’s directive whom they accused of trying to copy Saudi Arabia instead of following the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad in marking the end of Ramadan.

A resident of Gashu’a, Auwal Musa, said “the Sultan want to repeat 2011 saga simply because he wants Nigeria to always copy Saudi Arabia even though it is not in accordance with Islamic teachings”.

The Emir of Bade, HRH Abubakar Umar Suleiman, is yet to make any formal comment whether he will go ahead to perform the Eid- al-Fitr with his people or not.

About 9 people sighted the moon in Gashu’a out of 18 people that went out to search for the crescent.

This “defiance” may not stop at Gashua alone as other areas may go ahead and pray considering that it was said that the moon was also sighted in Niger Republic, Bauchi, Zaria, Gusau, Kano and Maiduguri.

Nigerian Muslims have always failed to find a uniting day for Eid-al-Fitr prayers, even though there is no controversy in the days of other Islamic festivities.

According to Malam Ibrahim Potiskum, this issue always pits the official Muslim leaders against the generality of Muslims because of the leaders penchant to follow Saudi Arabia even if Nigerian Muslims have seen the moon.

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