The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has begun the transportation of Nigerian pilgrims from Madinah to Makkah for this year’s Umrah and Hajj.
NAHCON’s Madinah Coordinator Alhaji Ahmad Maigari told journalists in Madinah yesterday that the commission gave the contract to transport 35,000 pilgrims from Madinah to Makkah to a company known as Hafil.
Alhaji Maigari said the transportation which commenced yesterday with 3,801 pilgrims from Katsina and Lagos States would continue tomorrow (Friday).
He said the 2019 model vehicles for the operation have the facilities such as wifi, toilets, air-condition system and refrigerator to give the pilgrims comfort.
While speaking, the Manager of the company, Madinah Branch, Talal Sheriff, said the firm was 100 per cent ready for the operation to convey the Nigerian pilgrims to Makkah.
Sheriff, who said that they were lineages of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), added that the pilgrims would receive the comfort they deserved during the transportation.
Since the pilgrims will perform Hajj at-Tamattu (interrupted), they are expected to enter the state of Ihraam to perform ‘Umrah during the month of Shawwal to the break of dawn on the tenth day of the month of Dhul-Hijjah.
The pilgrims, who will exit the state of Ihraam after performing the ‘Umrah, will then reenter the state of Ihraam for the Hajj from Makkah or anywhere near to it on the 8th day of Dhul-Hijjah during the same year in which the ‘Umrah is performed.
Ihraam, which is the two-piece garment for males and modest clothes for females, will be put on at the prescribed station known as Meeqaat.
The pilgrims will then make intention to perform ‘Umrah.
After reaching Makkah, the pilgrims will make seven circuits (Tawaaf) around the Ka’bah, beginning at the Black Stone with Takbeer (utterance of Allahu Akbar) and ending each circuit at the same place.
They will then proceed to the mount of Safaa and ascend from it to do the Sa’y of the ‘Umrah seven times. Then, the pilgrims climb Marwah to praise Allah as observed at Safaa.
After the Sa’y, the pilgrims end their ‘Umrah by shaving or shortening hair and resume normal activities until the 8th of Dhul-Hijjah to perform Hajj.
As of yesterday, 10,839 Nigerian pilgrims from Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Sokoto, Zamfara, and Lagos States had arrived Saudi Arabia since the airlift began on July 10.
