Nigeria’s Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar declares Friday as the first day of Rabi’ul Awwal 1448 AH, following confirmed crescent moon sighting reports across the country. Sources say the sighting is recorded on Thursday, marking the completion of the Islamic month of Safar.
The outlets describe the same religious determination but provide slightly different framing and dates in their wording. Vanguard states that the Thursday moon sighting corresponds to the 29th day of Safar 1448 AH, so Rabi’ul Awwal begins on Friday. Legit.ng specifies Friday, August 14, 2026, as the start date after confirmed sightings in Nigeria, aligning the announcement with the local calendar for the year in question.
Overall, both accounts attribute the start of the new month to the Sultan’s official declaration based on moon sighting confirmations, and both identify Thursday as the day the crescent is observed, with Friday beginning Rabi’ul Awwal.
