Following the sighting of the crescent of the month of the Ramadan on Friday, February 28, 2025 and the subsequent official announcement of the commencement of the Ramadan fast by the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General for the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, Muslims began this year’s Ramadan fast on Saturday, March 1, 2025. Today, Monday, March 3, 2025, is the third day of the holy month.

In his speech, the sultan urged Muslims to use the holy month to rededicate themselves to the teachings of their religion; urging them to pray fervently for peace and stability of Nigeria and the world in general.

Observing the Ramadan fast in the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar is one of the five cardinal principles of Islam. In Islam, to fast in Ramadan is to abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and conjugal relationships between dawn and sunset for the entire period of the month of Ramadan. The injunction of this religious obligation is sanctioned in Qur’an 2:183 wherein Allah (SWT) says, “O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you that ye may (learn) self-restraint”. The Ramadan fast is observed for 29 or 30 days, depending on when the crescent of Shawwal, the tenth month in the Islamic lunar calendar, is sighted.

When a Muslim observes the Ramadan fast, the pains of physical deprivation is felt but patiently endured. Although this deprivation and endurance may be temporary, it makes the individual to be conscious of the effects of such pains suffered by many others, who by accident or design dwell in perpetual poverty or have limited access to basic necessities of life. This is the time for those who are more comfortable than others to empathise and share their luxuries and reserves from food, riches and joyful moments with the less-privileged others.

The wealthy are enjoined to use the Ramadan period to exhibit the virtues of hospitality, charity and kindness especially to indigent and vulnerable members of society. As part of the sacrifices enjoined upon Muslims in Ramadan, prophetic traditions in Islam exhorts them to give alms, feed the poor and invite others including non-Muslims to break the Ramadan fast with them. This particular act of altruism in Ramadan would foster intra and inter-religious understanding and tolerance; a necessary requirement for national social cohesion which the multi-faith and heterogeneous Nigerian society remains in dire need of.

Ramadan provides opportunity for self-discipline and self-evaluation: It restrains a worshipper against all forms of immorality. Ramadan is a holy season, and therefore, should not be accompanied with unholy acts such as hoarding of grains or illegitimate increase of prices of food items that are already on the high side. Hoarding, which is a manifestation of greed, is prohibited (haram) in Islam. We urge traders in essential commodities not to take undue advantage of the Ramadan period to make usurious profits by exploiting the high demand of some commodities during Ramadan to increase their prices.

As we empathise with others under difficult circumstances such as the ones Nigerians are currently passing through, now and more than ever before is the time for Muslims to also exhibit the virtue of patience and perseverance. Since patience spiritually goes along with prayers, we encourage Muslims to engage and remember Nigeria in their supplications during this holy season in which a day within the last 10 days of the month is more sacred than a thousand months. With this privilege entrenched in Ramadan, we urge Muslims to ask Allah who said in Qur’an that “with every hardship comes ease” to ease Nigeria out of its current set of economic and security challenges including kidnapping, banditry, resurgence of Boko Haram, and other forms of violent crimes.

In order to also ease the thirst and fatigue suffered while fasting particularly after closing from offices, markets, factories and workshops, we urge authorities at the various power distribution companies (DISCOs) across the country to empathize with those observing the Ramadan fast and improve on the daily hours of public power supply. The entire Ramadan fast for this year would be observed under a very hot weather condition.

Preachers should be true to their calling as religious leaders; remaining sensitive to the peculiar circumstances in the country. Inflammatory expressions should be avoided at all physical and virtual Ramadan preaching sessions. We advise scholars and preachers to choose their words during their commentary of the Qur’an (tafsir); avoiding utterances that could provoke aggrieved, oppressed or even innocent persons or groups.

Several medical benefits come along with Ramadan fast. It lowers blood sugar and cholesterol. Medical experts also say Ramadan fast could be an ideal therapy for the treatment of mild to moderate non-insulin diabetes and obesity. Meanwhile, Muslims are advised to avoid overeating such that it becomes impossible for them to wake up and spend the night in worship. Prophetic tradition provides for Muslims to exercise moderation in everything they do.

Ramadan Kareem!