Agege, Lagos state – On Wednesday, April 2, Sheikh Muhammed Habibullah Adam El-Ilory, the proprietor of Markaz Arabic and Islamic Training Institute, Agege, in Nigeria’s southwest Lagos state, made a Facebook Live video.
In the over 1 hour video watched by more than 118,000 people, the cleric, commonly called Mudirul Markaz, claimed that Nigerian Muslims who terminated their fasting on Saturday, March 29, did so because authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced earlier that day that the moon’s crescent.
The claim has been bandied about by Sheikh Habibullah’s adherents.
Legit.ng reports that the Saudi announcement marked the beginning of Shawwal and the end of Ramadan has been sighted in their country. The sighting of the new crescent moon is crucial in the Islamic calendar for determining the beginning and end of lunar months, including Ramadan, and the celebration of Eid.
The Mudirul Markaz said:
“I was the one who said we will fast 30. Some people terminated their fast at 29; they said they saw the crescent moon. We did not stop at 29, we fasted 30. Why did we fast 30 and why did those who stop at 29 do so? That is where the explanation is. Those (in Nigeria) who stopped their fast at 29 said Saudi sighted the crescent moon. They said Saudi sighted the moon and have stopped performing the Tarawih (the optional but recommended sunnah prayers that Muslims observe at night in the month of Ramadan), so we have to stop fasting in Nigeria. Did God ask you to follow Saudi?”
The clip can be watched below:
The full video can be watched below:
Backstory on Mudirul Markaz’s claim
On Ramadan Day 27, Thursday, March 27, 2025, Sheikh Habibullah, during his religious organisation’s Laylat al-Qadr (the night of power) programme, declared that Ramadan 2025 would be 30-day fasting. According to him, Eid-el-Fitr will fall on Monday, March 31, 2025. It is not the first time that the influential cleric would make a declaration. In the past, some of his predictions have come out correctly.
However, on Saturday night, March 29, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, announced that the crescent moon marking the end of Ramadan has been sighted in Nigeria, confirming that Eid-el-Fitr will be observed on Sunday, March 30, 2025.
Being the president-general of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Abubakar is considered the spiritual leader of Nigerian Muslims – since 2006.
Established in 1973, NSCIA is the apex Islamic authority in Nigeria, with Alhaji Abubakar Umar Ibn Garbai EL-Kanemi, the Shehu of Borno, as deputy president-general, and Professor Ishaq Oloyede as secretary-general. Sheikh Habibullah is a member of the NSCIA’s expanded general purpose committee (EGPC).
But is it true that Nigerian Muslims who stopped their fast at 29 and observed the Eid-el-Fitr on Sunday, March 30, did so “because Saudi Arabia announced that the crescent for the Islamic month of Shawwal has been sighted?” Legit.ng checked.
Verification of Sheikh Habibullah’s claim on Saudi Arabia, Eid celebration in Nigeria, and moonsighting
The Sultan made the announcement in a nationwide broadcast on Saturday, confirming the sighting of the new crescent of Shawwal in various parts of the country.
He stated that moon sighting reports were received by the National Moon Sighting Committee (NMSC) from the Emirs of Borno, Zazzau, Daura, Kwandu, and Muslim leaders and organisations across Nigeria.
The Sultan declared:
“After due verification and authentication by the national moon sighting committee, as well as confirmations from state committees, the new moon of Shawwal was officially recognised.
“This marks the end of Ramadan 1446 AH. In accordance with Islamic law, Muslims are to observe Eid-el-Fitr on Sunday, March 30.”
In the 4-minute, 32-second video livestreamed by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), perused by Legit.ng, nowhere did the Sultan mention Saudi Arabia in his announcement.
For determining the start and end of Ramadan, the Sultan makes his announcements when there are reports of moon sightings from various locations across Nigeria – not in Saudi Arabia.
Addressing the claim that Muslims in Nigeria stopped fasting because of Saudi’s announcement, Sheikh Akim Kutubi of the Ansaarus-Sunnah Da’awah Centre, Lukosi-Shimawa road, Ogun state, dismissed it.
Kutubi said:
“Saying the people in Nigeria that celebrated Eid on Sunday, March 30, followed Saudi, that is a lie. Let those making such claim bring where the Sultan of Sokoto made such announcement. Anybody who claims the Sultan followed the Saudi for determining the beginning and end of Ramadan as well as the celebration of Eid in Nigeria should establish such with facts. Where did they see such? People should fear God and the hereafter.”
How National Moon Sighting Committee verify moon sighting claims
A prominent member of the National Moonsighting Committee in Nigeria, Simwal Umar Jubril, explained the five major questions asked by the National Moonsighting Committee when verifying a sighting claim.
He listed them as follows:
Was sunset visible?
Which direction of sunset did you see the crescent from?
When was the first time you sighted the crescent?
What time did you last see the crescent?
What is the shape of the crescent?
Simwal’s video can be watched below:
It is also noteworthy that in Islam, it is considered “Amanah” (trustworthiness) to believe someone who claims to have sighted the moon, particularly for determining the start and end of lunar months like Ramadan, as long as they are considered reliable and trustworthy.
Muslims in Nigeria who observed their Eid-el-Fitr on Sunday, March 30, 2025, followed the Sultan—and not Saudi Arabia. Therefore, Mudirul Markaz’s claim is incorrect and misleading.
Mufti of Ilorin reacts to allegation of trying to kill Mudir Markaz
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Sheikh Farouq Onikijipa, the grand mufti of Ilorin emirate in Kwara state, strongly refuted allegations that he tried to kill Sheikh Habibullah.
During a Ramadan lecture at his mosque, Onikijipa swore with the Quran that he was not responsible for the Markaz Agege boss’ health challenge.
