As the sacred days of Hajj 2025 draw near, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has stepped up its orientation efforts for Nigerian pilgrims through a coordinated sensitisation campaign led by its National Ulama Team.
The team, made up of eminent Islamic scholars from different parts of Nigeria, is conducting intensive awareness sessions for pilgrims in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The aim is to ensure that every pilgrim performs the Hajj rites in accordance with Islamic teachings, while also deepening their spiritual understanding of the journey.
What makes this year’s effort unique is its multilingual approach. The scholars deliver their messages in several Nigerian languages to bridge linguistic gaps and ensure inclusivity for pilgrims from diverse backgrounds.
Among those leading the sessions is Dr Abdul Rafi’u Al-Ijebuwiy, who engages pilgrims in Yoruba, while Malam Saminu Abdulkadir Yakasai addresses the Hausa-speaking contingent. Sheikh Faisal Zuglool and other members of the Ulama Team have also been conducting sessions in English and other local languages.
Speaking during one of the sessions, Sheikh Abdullahi, a senior member of the team, stated:
“Our mission is to guide pilgrims step-by-step from the 8th to the 13th of Dhul Hijjah so they understand the rules, avoid mistakes, and maximize the spiritual reward of their Hajj.”
The sessions cover key rituals such as the intention (niyyah), standing at Arafat, staying in Mina, the symbolic stoning of the Jamarat, the night at Muzdalifah, and the final circumambulation (tawaf al-wada’) at the Ka’abah in Makkah.
Pilgrims have welcomed the multilingual strategy, describing it as helpful and reassuring.
“The explanations are clear, and being able to hear it in our mother tongue helps a lot. We now feel confident and spiritually uplifted,” said one Hausa-speaking pilgrim in Makkah.
To complement the verbal teachings, the scholars also use visual aids such as diagrams and pamphlets, and distribute printed materials in different languages to reinforce the lessons. In some cases, mobile apps are used to demonstrate specific rites.
NAHCON officials, including supervisors and state Hajj boards, are monitoring the exercise and offering support to ensure its success.
With just a few days left to the peak of the pilgrimage, NAHCON has reaffirmed its commitment to continue the sensitisation programme daily, aiming to leave no pilgrim behind in understanding both the rituals and spiritual significance of the Hajj.