THE National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, Ulama Team has organised a special prayer for President Bola Tinubu and Nigerian leaders for Allah to assist them to curb insecurity and transform the country.
Sheikh Afini Yusuf AbduIbari, chairman, Council of Imams and AIfas, Etiosa, Lagos State, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen in Madina on Friday.
AbduIbari said that the purpose of the prayer was to pray for the nation and its leaders, particularly the President, for the good work that he has been doing.
“The President has hit the ground since he assumed the office, and he has not shown any sign of tiredness today. So, we need to continue to pray for him, and that is the purpose we are here.
“We also pray for Almighty Allah to help us against insecurity in the nation. We pray for all his team and all the political officers,” he said.
According to him, these are ulamas chosen for pilgrims’ enlightenment from the South-West by NAHCON.
“We are chosen as ulamas from various parts of the South-West. We are here from Lagos, Osun and Oyo states. All of us are here. So, we gather to pray as ulamas,” he said.
AbduIbari, a member of the Council of Imams in Lagos State, also commended the NAHCON’s airlift operation, especially the feat recorded by its Madina office in areas of pilgrims’ reception, hotel accomodations and feeding.
He said that the airlift operation had moved a step forward with better coordination.
“By now, we know all the pilgrims that have come to Medina and those who have gone back to Mecca.
“They are almost 40,000 already. That tells you that the operation is smooth,” he said.
Speaking on the responsibilities of the ulamas, Mr AbduIbari said that the ulama have been enlightening pilgrims on the rudiments and purpose of the pilgrimage.
“That has been carried out deeply in Medina here, and when we get to Makkah, we will continue to enlighten the pilgrims.
“Specifically, the pilgrims have been made to know that they have been called upon to come and perform pilgrimage by Almighty Allah.
“It means that they are fortunate. If you are not being called, you will not be here. So, we have sensitised them, we have let them know what they are supposed to do.
“Today, I am able to tell you that the visitations that we are supposed to do here to the Prophet Mosque, we are in the Prophet Mosque now where we are holding the prayer.
“All the important holy places have been visited. So, we have carried out our duty,” he said.
Also speaking, Sheikh Ridwan Mustapha Sunusi, said that the ulama organised the special prayer to complement the government’s efforts toward transforming the country.
Sunusi said, “We see that the government is trying all its efforts. So what remains for us is just the prayer so that Nigeria will be good.”
He urged pilgrims to abide by the law and regulation of the Saudi Arabia authorities.
According to him, they must abide by the law and regulation of Islam, and they must abide by the law and regulation of the Nigerian government.