Pilgrims recount life-changing experiences at Hajj 2018
It’s a successful outing —NAHCON
AL-MASJID an-Nabawi towers as a gothic ornament to Madinah. From a distance, it glazes the skyline, ringed by faith and plazas of penance. Closer, the final resting place of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) unfurls like Jannah, mystic garden of unearthly delights to devout Muslims.
Walking into the mosque islike slipping into the folded petals of a scented flower. Its innards sprawl intricately: classic Ottoman architecture melds with gold, creating a flare of marble and fine jewels.
The first time Sabur Gbemisola visited the mosque, his faith bloomed fitfully in solace; the minarets and marbled terrace, humidifiers and wide tents, lavish scents, chandeliers and gilded shelves cuddling copies of the Holy Quran, coaxed him into a meditative spell.
“No words can describe the peace and feeling of being here at the grand mosque – Masjid an Nabawi. It’s the second holiest place in Islam after the Grand Mosque in Makkah. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) walked about and prayed here. Being here is a rare privilege. A dream come true,” he said.
Gbemisola got to live the dream of 1.8 billion Muslims. He saw and felt what millions of ‘lucky pilgrims’ experience in the Prophet’s mosque every year: pearl of the desert, melting pot of faith and culture, and long, open terraces forking into an ancient, spiritual paradise. All within the shining veins of Madinah, city of warmth and unforgiving sunlight.
From dawn through dusk, the mosque’s sacred paths pulse with suction of synthetic soles over gem, the sound pilgrim shoes make on the way to Salat (prayer).
The mosque’s 1.6 million capacity complex booms with a million chants carrying penitence afar, heavenwards to be precise.
The pilgrims’ choruses waft melodiously; sometimes, amid the chants, a sob lets loose or a guttural cry ripples through torrents of tears as worshippers of vast racial stripes, gender and age demographics, seek their Creator’s mercies tearfully but determinedly.
Through the outburst of supplication and heart-felt penance, Abdullah Mukhtar Muhammad makes the same wish every year; that Allah grants him the grace to oversee a successful hajj exercise. The Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) prays for the safety of the thousands of pilgrims on his watch, hitch-free airlifts and tidier operations. Somewhere amid the flurry, he mutters a personal prayer or two.
Routinely, his entreaties drown in a cacophony of voices but it never gets misplaced or neglected. The NAHCON scribe attests to his answered prayers. For instance, he would readily tell you that while he worked assiduously with his team to ensure Nigeria’s successful participation at the 2017 Hajj exercise, it was due to Allah’s infinite mercies that transportation and food quality improved, and for the first time ever, Nigerian pilgrims were accommodated within the highbrow Markasiya precinct of Madinah, which is just a few minutes walking distance to the Prophet’s Grand Mosque. The 2018 Hajj also heralded remarkable improvements in Nigerian pilgrims’ Hajj experience, according to Muhammad. At a stakeholder meeting in NAHCON’s Ummul Juud, Makkah office, Muhammad declared this year’s Hajj a successful outing for Nigeria, thanking President Muhammadu Buhari and State Pilgrims Welfare Boards (SPWB) for paving the way for NAHCON to overcome its challenges.
Dying while on Hajj pilgrimage is a great honour to the deceased… it’s a blissful kind of tragedy because such people are honoured with being buried in Jannat Al-Mala in Makkah or Jannat Al-Baqi in Madinah
He also commended the Nigerian contingent for their patience, comportment, and most especially their orderliness. He acknowledged that most of them adhered to aviation specifications for hand luggage, thus the bane of arriving Jeddah Airport with multiple excess luggage was minimal compared to previous years. He enthused that all pilgrims will be transported home to Nigeria within the shortest time possible.
At the backdrop of Muhammad’s enthusiasm, pilgrims return to Nigeria with mixed feelings. According to a NAHCON’s operations staff, “It’s usually the case after any Hajj exercise. Things are never the same with the average pilgrim. Most people depart for home remarkably changed by the exercise,” said a NAHCON operations staff.
The ‘forever’ pilgrims
Those are the lucky ones. Some pilgrims will never return home. Aishatu Balarabe, for instance, would never set foot on her home soil again. The female pilgrim from Ungogo Local Government Area (LGA) of Kano State died after a brief illness at the King Abdulaziz Hospital (KAH) Makkah on a Tuesday evening.
According to Dr. Ibrahim Kana, the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) Commissioner in Charge of Health, Balarabe died soon after she was referred to KAH from NAHCON’s clinic at Al-Hijira road, Makkah.
“She was our patient and we referred her to King Abdulaziz hospital before she died. We have already captured her on our Electronic Health Medical Records (EHMR) system from patients referred to mortality,” he said.
Few days later, three other pilgrims died in an auto crash along Makkah-Madina highway. The deceased who were identified by as Jafarau Gidan Sabo, Abdullahi Shugaba Ruwan Dorowa and Mudi Mallamawa, were local government chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State and they died about 120 kilometres from Madinah.
Another pilgrim from Niger State died in Makkah, after mistakingy falling into the pit of an elevator under repair. The deceased stepped on the system not knowing it was under repair and fell into the pit; immediately the incident was reported, NAHCON despatched medical personnel to the scene, and after checks, they certified the victim dead.
Kana lamented that the residence managers knew that the lift had been defective for days, but they made no effort to seal it off and warn pilgrims to keep away. He said if they had taken such a precautionary measure, the incident would have been averted.
Kaduna State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board also announced the death of another pilgrim from Lere Local Government.
The victim died at Muna Alwadee Hospital after being diagnosed of chronic diabetes NAHCON’s medical team. Nigeria lost 12 pilgrims at the 2018 hajj. When death becomes noble
Dying while on Hajj pilgrimage is a great honour to the deceased, argued cleric and broadcaster, Abdul Semiu Echem. According to him, it’s a blissful kind of tragedy because such people are honoured with being buried in Jannat Al-Mala in Makkah or Jannat Al-Baqi in Madinah.
Indeed, a number of pilgrims said they are envious of pilgrims who die while performing Haj or in the vicinity of the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.
For instance, Egyptian pilgrim, Abdul Shafi Saeed, lost his friend, Sayyid Khaleel Hassan, eight years ago during Hajj. The latter reportedly died while in supplication at the plain of Arafat, the climax of the annual pilgrimage. In the same year, Abdullah Al-Roubi’s wife also died at Mina. The deceased reportedly expressed her wish to breathe her last and be buried in Makkah whenever she watched the holy Kaaba and the Grand Mosque on television. It was Allah’s will that she realised her wish while she was in state of Ihram, said her husband.
Finding essence
There is no limit to how the average pilgrim seeks his or her epiphany, that is, the ‘ah-hah’ moment, during the Hajj exercise.
That moment need not be elusive, however, argued Hafiz Ryan, a pilgrim and Islamic scholar. “It subsists through the journey and the rites. It’s hidden in every gesture and every moment. For some people, the much sought epiphany booms through a gesture, a shared smile or meal. For some, it hits them in the Rawdah at the Prophet’s mosque in Madinah. Some never chance on it until they get to the Ka’abah in Islam’s Greatest Mosque in Makkah…Whatever the case, it behoves every pilgrim to come for Hajj with the greatest Taqwa (piety) ever. A pious heart is forever open to the most enlightening and rewarding experiences. You need humility too because every pilgrim performs Hajj stripped of his money, power and status. You are a nobody amid millions of nobodies. Only Allah counts. And piety enables you to find Him and appreciate the essence of the Hajj experience. And by the end of the exercise, you will leave a changed man or woman. Your soul will find peace that will sustain you,” explained Ryan.
Indeed, gestures boomed louder than words, particularly among the Nigerian contingent to the 2018 Hajj. In the spirit of Hajj and fear of their Creator, pilgrims engaged in random but deliberate acts of piety and honesty thus improving the quality of the Hajj experience.
First, when a Nigerian pilgrim, Musa Edotsu, from Gbago Local Government Area of Niger State, found a bag containing a key, an international passport, and money in Saudi Riyals, US Dollars and Dirham denominations, he took the bag to officials of the Niger State pilgrims board, who returned the items to the owner, Zukalraini Saeed, Chairman of the Enugu State Pilgrims Board, .
Edotsu was subsequently rewarded with $200 (N72,000) for his honesty, particularly at a period when most pilgrims were out of cash.
In another incident, Yahaya Omaki, a protocol staff in the office of the Nasarawa State First Lady, Salamatu Tanko Almakura, returned the cash equivalent of N500, 000, which he found while doing Tawaf in Makkah, to its owner, Faisal Saleem, a Pakistani pilgrim.
In gratitude, Saleem offered Omaki 50 riyal (N5, 000) which he turned down, saying he did it for Allah’s sake.
Kaltume Musa, another pilgrim from Plateau State, returned the sum of $800, which she found in a toilet at the King Muhammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah, to its owner, Salamatu Musa. The money was Musa’s Basic Travelling Allowance (BTA) for the Hajj exercise.
Islam commands the Muslims to be honest to himself and to others. This order recurrently comes in the Noble Qur’an and the hadith of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Islam orders the Muslim to tell the truth even if it is against one’s own interest. Islam orders him not to cheat or betray other people. A Muslim is ordered by Allah to be truthful in his words and deeds, privately and publicly alike.
Charity begins in Madinah
For most pilgrims, especially those who came in through Madinah, the much sought heightened spiritual awakening and enlightenment started in Madinah.
“Madinah offers you ample opportunities to brace yourself and build your stamina for ibaadah (worship). There, you can engage in random but heart-felt acts of charity, like feeding the poor, sharing meals with fellow pilgrims and so on. Although, one of the major challenges in Madinah was getting to the Rawdah (the Prophet’s grave); once there, I prayed fervently and observed nawafil (supererogatory prayer). One thing I wasn’t ready for, however, were the waterworks. I cried uncontrollably,” said Sumaya Bello, a medical doctor.
It is the dream of several pilgrims to visit the Rawdah. Although the span of the mosque’s premises is considered a holy ground, pilgrims aspire to pray in the Rawḍah, for there is a tradition that prayers uttered there are never rejected.
“Even the flimsiest fantasy that sprouts in your mind, while in the Rawdah, comes true, once its halal (lawful). In the Rawdah, Allah blesses every pilgrim’s heartfelt wish. I know from experience,” stressed Abdulmumin Hamouza, a pilgrim and paramedic from Mali.
Access into the area is not always possible, especially during the Hajj season, as the space can only accommodate a few hundred people.
The Rawdah, (literally translated “Garden”) is an area between the minbar (pulpit) and burial chamber of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). It is regarded as one of the Riyāḍ al-Jannah (Gardens of Paradise). A green carpet distinguishes the area from the rest of the mosque, which is covered in red carpet.
“Between my house and my pulpit lies a garden from the gardens of Paradise,” says a Hadith from renowned scholar and companion of the Prophet (PBUH), Bukhari.
I was overwhelmed by His infinite mercies upon me and my heart filled with gratitude. I was drenched in tears and looking around me, I realised that most of my fellow pilgrims were in tears. It was a very touching moment
The original size is approximately 22 meters in length and 15 meters in width.
“The Rawdah is part of the Prophet’s mosque, and the prayer in it equals in reward 1,000 prayers. Pilgrims attempt to visit the confines of the area; left to them, it’s the metaphysical bridge, ringed by penitence and arches of hope, between them and Omnipotent God, Almighty Allah.
“I visited here last year, and everything I asked for has been granted by Allah,” enthused Haroun Ishola, a journalist.
Entering the state of Ihram
From Madinah, the pilgrims proceed to the Miqat (pilgrimage boundary) at which point each pilgrim enters into the state of Ihram. This is the sacred state which a Muslim must enter in order to perform the major pilgrimage (Hajj) or the minor pilgrimage (Umrah). The pilgrim performs the cleansing rituals and wears the prescribed attire and makes Niyyah (intention) for Umrah.
At this juncture, each pilgrim starts reciting the Talbiya: “Labbayka Allahumma labbayk, labbayka la sharika laka labbayk, inna alhamda, wal ni’mata, laka wal mulk, la sharika lak” translatable thus: “I am here at your service, Oh Allah, I am here at Your service. You have no partner. Surely, praise and blessings are Yours, and dominion. You have no partner.”
For Zainab Musa, that was the “most defining moment.” It was one of her “most emotional moments…I was reminded of how powerful Almighty Allah is. I realised that He has granted me the opportunity to perform Hajj, a bounty that remains elusive to even the most powerful and affluent individuals. I was overwhelmed by His infinite mercies upon me and my heart filled with gratitude. I was drenched in tears and looking around me, I realised that most of my fellow pilgrims were in tears. It was a very touching moment,” she said.
From this point onward, pilgrims enter the state of Ihram and will not be able to use any scented items, as it would invalidate their Ihram. At this juncture, pilgrims can only use non-scented wipes, hand-sanitizers, deodorant, lotion, hand wash and possibly shampoo.
Depending on each pilgrim or contingent’s time line, on arrival in Makkah, they will rest a little, eat and then head for Umrah.
Doing the Tawaf
In performing the Umrah, pilgrims proceed to the Great Mosque in Makkah to perform the Tawaf, that is, circumambulation of the Ka’abah. There, most pilgrims break down in tears. For instance, the first time Safiyatu Usman set eyes on the Ka’abah, she cried. At her first entrance into The Grand Mosque of Makkah, also called Al-Masjid al-Ḥarām(the Sacred Mosque), the Ka’abah, also known as the Holy Qiblah, towered impressively over her.
She said: “An irresistible force settled over me. It was peaceful, comforting and very fulfilling. For the first time in my life, I felt at peace and in perfect communion with Allah. I felt His presence. The feeling stayed with me through my first six Tawafs (circumambulation of the Holy Qiblah) and at the seventh one, I whipped out my prayer book and chanted the Dua il Ganjual Arsh (The prayer of the treasure and the throne). There is nothing to equate such feeling in this world. I cried uncontrollably,” said Usman, stressing that her tears were triggered by awe.”
There is no gainsaying every visit to Islam’s greatest temple, leaves the pilgrim awestruck. Widely adjudged the largest mosque in the world, the Al Masjid-al-Haram surrounds the Islamic Qiblah (Direction of Prayer), that is the Ka’abah in the Hejazi city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Muslims face the Ka’aba while performing the Ṣalāh (act of worship).
After the first Tawaf, pilgrims perform the Sa’ey of Safa wal Marwah. During this part of Umrah, they are struck with imagery of Hajar trying to find water for her son, Ismail.
Afterwards, pilgrims undergo a minor hair cut to complete their Umrah. Then they proceed to Mina from where they engage in Hajj proper by proceeding to the plains of Mount Arafat to supplicate to Allah. Thereafter, they cast pebbles in Jamaarat at a symbolic devil and proceed to Muzdalifah, where they rest and collect pebbles for the first round of the three-part symbolic stoning of the devil in Jamarat.
Although Muslims world over celebrate the Eid-il-Kabir festival the day after pilgrims descend the plains of Arafat, the latter do not engage in similar celebration, rather at this stage, they shave their heads and exit the second and final state of Ihram. At this stage, their Hajj is complete, thus they can shower and use scented toiletries. The last and final ritual for Umrah and Hajj is Tawaf al Wada, which is known as the Farewell Tawaf. Pilgrims bid Allah bye at the Ka’abah in the Grand Mosque in Makkah, after which they depart for their individual homelands. The farewell is merely symbolic and representative of visitors bidding their Heavenly Host a temporary farewell.
A life- changing experience
There is no gainsaying the Hajj experience is widely clamoured by generations of devout Muslims who recognise it as the fifth pillar of Islam. Many Muslims who have been privileged to make Hajj often speak of how the journey is a life-changing experience. This is more the case for some than others.
Malik El Shabazz, a.k.a Malcolm X, experienced a life-changing Hajj in April 1964. As a former member and speaker for the Nation of Islam, a black spiritual and nationalist movement, he believed that the white man was the devil and the black man superior.
After leaving the Nation of Islam in March 1964, he performed Hajj. Writing on his Hajj experience, he explained how he experienced a profound shift in his perspective on race and racism:
“There were tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world. They were of all colours, from blue-eyed blondes to black-skinned Africans. But we were all participating in the same ritual, displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to believe never could exist between the white and the non-white.
“During the past 11 days here in the Muslim world, I have eaten from the same plate, drunk from the same glass and slept in the same bed (or on the same rug)-while praying to the same God with fellow Muslims, whose eyes were the bluest of the blue, whose hair was the blondest of blond, and whose skin was the whitest of white. And in the words and in the actions and in the deeds of the ‘white’ Muslims, I felt the same sincerity that I felt among the black African Muslims of Nigeria, Sudan and Ghana.
I have eaten from the same plate, drunk from the same glass and slept in the same bed (or on the same rug)-while praying to the same God with fellow Muslims… And in the words and in the actions and in the deeds of the ‘white’ Muslims, I felt the same sincerity that I felt among the black African Muslims of Nigeria, Sudan and Ghana
“We are truly all the same-brothers. All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.”
Like Shabazz aka Malcolm X, millions of pilgrims seek their moment of sudden awareness and spiritual revelation annually during Hajj.
For first time pilgrims like Gbemisola, the moment subsists in the Rawdah. Zainab Musa discovered it reciting the Talbiyyah in the sacred state of Ihram. Safiyatu Usman found it before the Ka’abah. And for recipients of Edotsu, Omaki and Kaltume, it probably subsists in the latter’s heart-felt gestures.
Yet, for deceased pilgrims like Balarabe, Sabo, Dorowa and Mallamawa, no one knows what wakefulness they encountered, particularly in their final hours.
Whatever the nature of awakening, each pilgrim’s epiphany becomes peculiar to him or her. Sometimes, it’s rapid, often times, it’s a slow burn; the mind migrates more fluidly than the body.
