Barr. Abdullahi Muhammad Mukhtar, MON, FCIA
The immediate past Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Barr. Abdullahi Muhammad Mukhtar has expressed optimism that the Hajj 2020 will hold despite the spread of COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia.
Speaking on the Hausa service of BBC on Saturday, Mukhtar noted that the Hajj would hold but with a small number Pilgrims which would give the chance to observe protocols established by the health experts from prevention against the coronavirus.
He said “As per the 2020 Hajj and covid-19 pandemic: he said he is sure by Allah’s will it will take place but with a small number of Pilgrims will keep to the protocols of the pandemic and guidance from Islamic school of thoughts with simplified methodology of conducting Hajj Exercise,”
The erstwhile NAHCON Chairman/CEO spoke with the BBC while currently undergoing PhD program at a UK, Bolton University, with title; The Prospects, Opportunities and Challenges Facing Global Hajj Management.
Speaking in the programme, Barr. Mukhtar enumerated how Hajj could be expanded and diversified as the case is with Tabung Hajj of Malaysia through the Hajj Savings Scheme, adding that, that would bring a win-win situation for the entire Hajj value chain.
He however stated that this is achievable only through increasing the knowledge on how Hajj is conducted.
Regarding the benefits his study research will promote, he stated that “this will give Africa the chance to contest with the global Hajj stakeholders like Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan.
Throughout his 26 year experience, he has looked forward to Hajj industry becoming not only self-sufficient but will boost the economy of their countries.
He noted that Hajj expansion could be done through conducting Halal businesses on Shari’ah compliant products where the Pilgrims will get proceeds, maintaining that Hajj officials will enhance their performance by becoming more productive.
“Hajj organisations in public and private sectors will become independent of governments’ grants or subvention and with no recourse to increasing Hajj fare. In fact the government will benefit from the prospects of the Hajj proceeds. This is why the bedrock of the study is Islamic Finance,” he said.
