The Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Ambassador Ismail Yusuf Abba, has reaffirmed the commission’s resolve to strengthen pilgrims’ education and spiritual preparedness ahead of the forthcoming Hajj exercise.
Speaking during a strategic engagement and inauguration of the Hajj Ulama Team at the Conference Hall of Hajj House in Abuja, Abba emphasized that proper guidance remains central to a successful pilgrimage.
The high-level meeting convened 120 prominent Islamic clerics from across the country, including Mansur Ibrahim Sokoto, Bala Lau, Abdulmuhyi Nasir, Abdulrahman Olanrewaju Ahmed, Nasir Adam, Muhammad Kabir Haruna Gombe, Usman Usman Dahiru Bauchi, and Isa Akindele Solahuddeen, among others.
At the heart of the discussions was the commission’s renewed focus on comprehensive pilgrims’ orientation. Abba charged the Ulama to intensify sensitisation campaigns in multiple languages, both before departure and during the pilgrimage, to ensure participants clearly understand the core rites and obligations of Hajj.
He stressed the importance of continuous guidance and timely responses to pilgrims’ concerns, particularly in situations that could affect the validity of their worship.
As part of their mandate, the Ulama Team is also expected to organise special prayer sessions at key stages of the pilgrimage, especially at Arafat, with prayers dedicated to Nigeria’s leadership, national security, unity, peace, and economic growth.
In a related appeal, Prof. Umar urged clerics to encourage their congregations to pray for peaceful elections, noting that the upcoming Hajj coincides with Nigeria’s electoral cycle.
The clerics, in a unified stance, underscored the need to prepare pilgrims mentally and spiritually by promoting values such as patience, sincerity, unity, and total devotion to Allah. They described Hajj as a transformative act of worship that requires both knowledge and discipline.
The Ulama Team reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that Nigerian pilgrims have a spiritually fulfilling and well-guided Hajj experience.
