65,000 Nigerian pilgrims prepare for Arafat

No fewer than 65,000 Nigerians who are participating in this year’s Hajj are currently bracing up for the all-important Arafat exercise holding tomorrow.

The government of Saudi Arabia had earlier declared Saturday, August 10th as Arafat Day, the height of Hajj rites when pilgrims all over the world will converge on the plain of Arafat for supplications.

Amir- ul Hajj, Lagos State, Dr. AbdulHakeem AbdulLateef who disclosed this at the Lagos State House in Makkah, said Eid-ul-Kabir will be on Sunday, 11th August 2019, when Muslims all over the world would sacrifice a ram in accordance to the Sunnah in Islam.

“Now that the date of Arafat has been declared and Friday, 9th August has been billed for movement of Lagos pilgrims to Muna, the Board management has designed scheduled prayers for the different local governments to supplicate for Allah’s protection for a safe journey to and fro Muna as well as success on the exercise. Salat Zuhri must be performed in Muna on Saturday by all pilgrims of this year Hajj”.

He appealed to pilgrims to attend the prayers in accordance with the dates allotted to their local governments in order to control the crowd and create a better atmosphere for pilgrims during the lectures.

“The purpose is to enlighten them on the expectations of Muna, Musdalifah, Arafat, and Jamarat,” he said.

Abdul Lateef, who emphasized that the major Hajj rites fall within five days of Dhul Hijjah, encouraged pilgrims to endeavour to follow the instructions of the Saudi Authority as a way of supporting them checkmate avoidable disaster.

The Amir-ul Hajj x-rayed some of the expectations of Muslims within the first ten days of the month of Hajj. Some of them are: fasting, reading the holy Quran; increasing in good deeds; engaging in all acts of Ibadah; give love to and be dutiful to parents; feeding of birds and cats with food and water.

Others, according to him include: distribution of cold water to people working in the sun; visiting the sick, inmates, orphanage and old people’s homes; attending prayers at their times and listening to lectures; fasting all nine days, every fast is like 70years away from fire (hell), if not nine days, fast at least on Arafat Day for those not performing Hajj. It wipes two years of sin.

Abdulateef stressed further than giving a lot of Sadaqat; staying away from unholy music and videos; doing dawah and guiding the non-Muslims to a righteous path are also rewarding during the month.

He finally pointed out that on the day of Arafat, faithful should recite “Laa Ilaha Ilallahu Wahdahu Laa sharikalahul, Lahul Mulku, Wallahu hamdu wahuwa ala Kulishain qadeer”

Meanwhile, intensive planning is ongoing at the Lagos House in Makkah to ensure a smooth and hitch-free Haj exercise.