Sultan Declares Thursday, July 16 as First Day of Safar 1448AH
By Nafiu Muhammad Lema
The Sultanate Council, Sokoto, has announced that Thursday, July 16, 2026, will mark the 1st of Safar 1448AH, following the non-sighting of the new crescent moon across Nigeria.
In a press statement signed by the Chairman of the Sultanate Council Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Prof. Sambo Wali Junaidu, the Council disclosed that the National Moonsighting Committee did not receive any credible reports confirming the sighting of the Safar crescent on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, corresponding to 29th Muharram 1448AH.
As a result, Wednesday, July 15, 2026, will complete the month of Muharram as 30th Muharram 1448AH.
The statement further revealed that His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), accepted the report and officially declared Thursday, July 16, 2026, as the first day of Safar 1448AH.
The Sultanate Council urged Muslims across the country to take note of the declaration and continue to pray for peace, unity, and progress in Nigeria.
