79,000 Nigerians among two million pilgrims

Saudi authorities say two million Muslims from around the world are expected to converge on Islams holiest city of Mecca and nearby sites in Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj pilgrimage, which started yesterday.The hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is a mandatory duty for Muslims to make once in a lifetime if they have enough financial resources and are physically capable of undertaking the journey to the birthplace of Prophet Mohammed.Men don seamless white clothes and women wear loose garments and must refrain from wearing make-up and jewellery.They perform the same rituals in a demonstration of religious unity, equality and pursuit of spiritual renewal.According to official Saudi figures, more than 750 people died in a hajj stampede during a stone-throwing ritual in the holy town of Mina, near Mecca, three years ago.NAN reports that in 2017, 2.4 million pilgrims fulfilled the Hajj.The Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca considered a mandatory religious duty by practising Muslims.According to figures published by Gulf news channel Al Jazeera, Egypt with 108,000 pilgrims was Africas largest contingent in 2017, although it placed fifth on the list.The top contributor was Indonesia, followed by India, Pakistan and Bangladesh in that order.One of the African countries that made the top 10 is Nigeria (79,000). Africas most populous nation is sandwiched between Iran and Turkey.Yesterday, about two million Muslim pilgrims, comprising Nigerians and other nationals, began their journey of spiritual awareness to the tent city of Mina in Makkah, Saudi Arabia (RSA).The faithful, comprising Asians, Africans, Europeans and Americans, departed their abode in Makkah to fulfil one of the major etiquette of the 2018 Hajj exercise.At a stakeholders/orientation meeting held a day before the pilgrims departure, Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) Abdullah Mukhtar Muhammad urged pilgrims to be of sterling conduct.He advised pilgrim welfare boards and tour operators to abide by the RSA regulations and guidelines for a smooth Hajj.The post 79,000 Nigerians among two million pilgrims appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.
Click here to read full news..