Nigerian pilgrims leave for Mecca

 The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the pilgrims would be transported in luxury buses in accordance with COVID-19 protocols. A Madinah Control Center official told NAN that the pilgrims would begin the Mecca ritual from Miqat Hulifa. Hulifa is about nine kilometres from Medina and about 450 kilometres from Mecca. It is the Meeqat for people coming from Medina. The Meeqat is the main boundary where pilgrims intending to perform Hajj or Umrah must enter the state of Ihram. Ihram is a state of consecration in which certain lawful activities are forbidden. Pilgrims take a bath and wear two robes of white for men or any other colour for women, indicating the state of purity. Pilgrims go to Mecca to perform the minor Hajj (Umrah). The Umrah process involves the seven circuits of the Kaaba within the Holy Mosque and the seven rounds of Safa and Marwa. The Safa and Marwa follow the process of Hagar, the mother of the Prophet Ismail, in search of water for her son at this place. After that, the pilgrims wait for the five-day Hajj.

Hajj is the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Hajj is the fifth of the fundamental Muslim practices. It is known as the fifth pillar of Islam.

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