2023 Hajj: Lagos State Pilgrims pray for peace in Nigeria

The Lagos State pilgrims taking part in the ongoing 2023 holy pilgrimage in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have offered prayers to God for peace, security and economic transformation of Nigeria.

The pilgrims embarked on the prayers during their gathering at the plain of Mountain Arafat, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Gathering at Arafat is one of the important and major aspects of the Hajj rites that every pilgrim must partake in, as any pilgrim that fails to be at the plain of the Mountain for whatever reason has not performed Hajj and such person cannot consider his/herself an Alhaji or Alhaja.

Led by erudite Clerics and Islamic Scholars, the pilgrims prayed to Allah to guide the new administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the right path.

They also prayed that God should help the President in selecting the right people for his cabinet that would ensure the success of his administration.

They also took turns to pray for the success of the administration of the Lagos State Governor Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat as they serve the good people of the State in their second term in office.

While declaring the 2023 Hajj exercise a success, the State Amir-ul-Hajj, Mr. Anofiu Elegushi congratulated the State pilgrims for attaining the status of someone to be addressed as Alhajis and Alhajas.

He also enjoined them not to take the lifetime opportunity for granted but to uphold the ethics and qualities expected of their new status at all times.

Lectures on the significance of Arafat which is the meeting point between Prophet Adam and Awwaw (Eve) after they were sent out of Aljanat (Paradise) by Allah for eating the forbidden fruit, were delivered by two prominent Islamic Scholars, Imam AbdulLateef Bolajoko and Sheikh Uthman Sanu Shehu both in English and Yoruba languages.

After completing the Arafat rites as prescribed by the Holy Quran, the pilgrims has proceed to Muzdalifah where they observed both Solatul Magrib and Ishai, pick 49 pebbles and cast the first set of seven pebbles today, Wednesday the tenth of Dhul-Hijjah after which they had all returned to their Muna tents.

On Thursday tomorrow and Friday, which are the 11th and 12th of the month, seven pebbles would be thrown at each of the three walls at the Jamarat, making it a total of 49 pebbles.

When they return back to Makkah, the pilgrims would go to the Haram (Kaabah) to perform Tawaful Ifadah which is to bid farewell to the city of Makkah and this finally gives them the full status of an Alhaji or Alhaja.

PIAK