Hajj: Pilgrims warned against drug, bad conducts

Intending Muslim pilgrims to this year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia have been warned against carrying illicit drugs or being of unruly character capable of pitching them against the Saudi Arabian authority. The Managing Director of the Hajj Mabrur Ventures Limited, Alhaji Ahmed Solate, gave the advice in Abuja on Sunday at the annual Hajj Seminar […]

Intending Muslim pilgrims to this year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia have been warned against carrying illicit drugs or being of unruly character capable of pitching them against the Saudi Arabian authority.

The Managing Director of the Hajj Mabrur Ventures Limited, Alhaji Ahmed Solate, gave the advice in Abuja on Sunday at the annual Hajj Seminar for intending pilgrims of the organisation.

Alhaji Solate, represented by Dr Abdulwasiu Olugbenga Garbadeen, said while many of the nation’s intending pilgrims may be conscious and not fall victims of dubious characters who may trick them to drug carriage, he said any form of misconduct is also frown at the exercise.

According to him, hajj involves practical and this can only be achieved with patience and abiding by the rules, so as to gain the maximum reward of the pilgrimage.

“Intending pilgrims should be good ambassadors of Nigeria by being of good conducts. They should exhibit peace, practical and patience at all times. They should repent sincerely before the journey. Many should also start exercising their body as the hajj rites involve physical activities especially walking in circumambulation and others.

“They (pilgrims) should also be peaceful in their conducts and avoid panic or impulse buying. They can do market survey to save cost and to also avoid distractions from ibadah (acts of worships), which was the main reason for their embarking on the pilgrimage,” he said.

While charging the pilgrims to pray for Nigeria’s development, he said that they should remember that they would soon leave Saudi Arabia and return to the nation hence they should pray for the country they want to have.

Mr. Labbo Sulaiman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Mr. Mohammed Lawal of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in separate presentations, urged the intending pilgrims to be wary of acts that can bring them to disrepute, especially that this would not only be in their personalities but also on the nation.

The Imam, Dar-Salam Olowu Mosque, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Ustaz Olaoye Nurudeen, who delivered the hajj rites lectures, urged pilgrims to do their best in acts of worship and avoid distractions.