The die is cast. The airlifting of intending pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for 2025 Hajj begins today. The inaugural flight will take off from Owerri, capital city of Imo State with Air Peace airline conveying a total of 315 pilgrims from Imo, Abia and Bayelsa states to the holy land.
Altogether, five flights are scheduled to herald the operation simultaneously today (Friday, May 9, 2025) according to the schedule released on Wednesday by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
The flights are expected as follows – Max Air from Bauchi; two FlyNas flights – one from Kebbi and the other through Lagos departure centre conveying Osun pilgrims – and fifth from Niger totalling 2,528 pilgrims to arrive Madinah today.
The flag-off in Owerri is expected to be presided over by Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma while the Vice President Kashim Shettima will grace the occasion as Special Guest of Honour. NAHCON officials arrived in Owerri on Wednesday to perfect arrangements for today’s inaugural flight.
As at last Friday when NAHCON announced the official closure of registration for 2025 Hajj, a total of 40, 671 pilgrims had been recorded to undergo the spiritual journey from the government quota shared among the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The figure is less 2, 329 out of the projected 43, 000 pilgrims earlier distributed among the four airlines designated as official carriers of this year’s exercise.
At the April 22, 2025 meeting with the stakeholders including representatives of the state Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards, NAHCON Commissioner in charge of Operations, Prince Anofiu Elegushi had disclosed that Air Peace was assigned 5,128 pilgrims cumulative from states such as Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Ondo, Rivers and Taraba as well as Armed Forces.
FlyNas was allocated 12,506 pilgrims from Federal Capital Territory (FCT Abuja), Kebbi, Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Sokoto and Zamfara states. FlyNas is expected to bring in nine aircrafts for the operation .
Max Air is airlifting pilgrims from Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kwara, Oyo and Plateau states. The airline promised to conclude airlift of its 15, 203 maximum by May 24. Two aircraft will be deployed for the operation- a B747 with 400 capacity and the second aircraft with a 560 capacity.
Umza has been allocated 10,163 pilgrims from Kaduna, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Niger and Yobe states. Umza is deploying two aircraft, a B747 with 477 capacity and a B777 with 310 capacity.
The outbound journey is expected to end on May 24, 2025, while the inbound flight is tentatively billed to run between June 13 and July 2, 2025. The shortfall of 3, 291 pilgrims could be as a result of late registration which the NAHCON Chairman/CEO, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman alluded to on Wednesday explaining that the extension of closure of contract from March 25, 2025 to May 2, 2025 was as a result of strategic intervention with the Saudi Authorities. He said, “Stoppage of further registration became necessary in order for the Commission to concentrate on airlift of pilgrims, with sufficient resources to ensure their comfort. Hence, any Hajj fare deposit received after 2nd May will be duly refunded. Meanwhile, movement to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj commences from 9th May 2025.”
Now to the pilgrims, it is important to note that the rites of Hajj involve, basically, putting on the Ihram in one of the designated places (miqaat), to enter the Sacred Mosque and do the Tawaf (circumambulation). And thereafter, do S’ay (running) between Safa and Marwa in order to recreate the eternal fortitude and forbearance displayed by Hajar (Mother of Prophet Ismail, the first son of Prophet Ibrahim (upon them be peace)) thousands of years ago.
Also significant is the encounter with/drinking from the Zam Zam water – a miraculous stream which has been gushing forth non-stop since time immemorial. These are the preliminary rites of Umrah (lesser Hajj) as the pilgrims will, thereafter, settle down in Makkah waiting for the 7th and 8th day of the month of Dhul Hajj when they will move out of their abode in Makkah and proceed to camps in Minnah in order to engage in spiritual eulogy and extra-terrestrial lullabies.
On the 9th of Dhul Hajj, pilgrims will move from Minnah to mount ‘Arafah in order to relive the day in which the Holy Prophet (SAW) delivered that memorable speech which remains evergreen till date. Essentially, to stand on mount Arafah (the peak of Hajj rites) is to experience, ahead of time, the day of resurrection when humanity, “white”, “black”, “yellow”, “red”, rich and poor would stand in front of the Almighty, in nudity, to account for their actions, inactions, deeds and misdeeds while on earth.
Also, it should be emphasised that the hajj rites that would be accepted by the Almighty from His servants are the ones which are undertook with lawful means. In other words, a public office holder who diverts public fund into providing Hajj seats to some Muslims with the intention to maintain their political patronage would suffer double jeopardy. He would be held to account for bad governance of the state under his watch; he would equally be held to account for transacting in spiritual corruption.
Brethren, going to Hajj means we are prepared to be tested by the Almighty. In other words, though Hajj means the embarkation on the best spiritual journey for the Muslims, it is equally, and quite ironically, the greatest platform upon which our claims as Muslims, our posturing as servants of the Almighty can come to the fore. Thus, while packing your luggage, do not forget to include, patience and perseverance; as you are stepping on the airplane, do not forget your coat of piety and sacrifice.
Brethren, was it not in paradise that Prophet Adam and Hawa (Upon them be peace) were tested? If you are given to quarrel, if you are the type who always want people to say sorry to him when he is stepped upon, if you are very temperamental, then you have to re-read your resolve to embark on the journey to Makkah and Madinah.
Hajj is the only journey on earth which provides humans with the greatest opportunity to be successful here and in the hereafter. Ironically, it equally has the greatest potential for a carefree pilgrim to lose eternal redemption. Such a pilgrim would be he/she who engages in illicit conduct while on hajj; such would be the worshipper who vitiates his/her rites of hajj through acts of brigandage and rebellion.
Dear intending pilgrims, constantly keep in mind that the Hajj exercise is first and foremost a spiritual assignment; that it is not for tourism. Avoid the temptation, therefore, to turn your tawaf, sa’y between Safa and Marwa, and the standing in Arafah to tourist exercises.
It is common nowadays to see pilgrims with various types of cameras and get themselves busy taking pictures while doing tawaf and running between Safa and Marwa! Kindly avoid such actions as they are tantamount to the profanisation of the sacred and the materialization of the sacred.
Though these actions would not by themselves invalidate the rites of hajj, they however function in taking away its inner dimensions. Through such conducts, the rites of hajj lose their meaning. The pilgrim who does this shifts his attention away from the Almighty to the Self, the iniquitous entity the purification of which the Hajj sets out to achieve. The female pilgrim who is busy taking pictures of herself while doing Sa’y cannot remember Hajar anymore. She would not remember her creator too. She would lose the opportunity of rediscovering herself at that important moment when self-rediscovery is the nodus of spiritual engagement.
Dear pilgrims, the best way to prepare for Hajj is to keep in mind that the exercise should be for the sake of the Almighty. He says: “take provisions with you for the journey, but the best of provisions is God-consciousness…” (Q2:197). Abu Hurayrah says God-consciousness means ‘To be in the place where the Almighty loves you to be, and absent from the place where He hates you to be.’
This is the reason we have been taught to supplicate thus: “Allaahumma innie as-alukal hudaa, wat-tuqaa, wal-‘afaaf, wal-ghinaa” meaning: O! Lord, I ask you for guidance, piety (at-Taqwaa), chastity and self-sufficiency.” (Muslim and Riyaad us-Saaliheen, 6/71). Avoid the temptation to engage in frivolities and show of shame while on hajj. This is one of the diseases the Hajj exercise is meant to cure. Other diseases include backbiting, nationalism, tribalism, arrogance, having hatred towards the believers, picking on the mistakes and errors of Muslims and envy among others.
Indeed, when you are going to Hajj you must go in a pure state, leaving behind any quarrels or arguments you have had with your Muslim brothers. Another disease of the heart is ar-Riyaa (showing off). Many people like to show off that they have been to Hajj and that they are ‘Hajjis’.
Your pilgrimage should be done for the sake of the Almighty and not to show off or gain respect from your families and community. The desire to show off fuels some of the acts mentioned above; acts such as the implantation of golden tooth in one’s mouth. Brethren, try and keep in mind the importance of these rites so that you may have the full measure of the treasures of going to hajj. Again, keep in mind this may be the last time you would have the chance to visit the Kaa’ba and remember to pray for your country, Nigeria.
The Prophet was asked, “Which is the best deed?” He said, “To believe in the Almighty and His Apostle.” He was then asked, “Which is the next (in goodness)?” He said, “To participate in Jihad in the Almighty’s Cause.” He was then asked, “Which is the next?” He said, “To perform Hajj-Mabrur.”
