The Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria, SCSN has called on the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON to prioritise the training and enlightenment of pilgrims on how to worship and to relate with one another during Hajj.
A delegation led by Sheikh AbdulRasheed Hadiyatullah made the call when members of the Council paid a courtesy call on the NAHCON Chairman Barrister Zikirulla Hassan in Abuja.
One of the SCSN member, Muhammed-Nasir Adam, said NAHCON needs to take seriously the issue of training and retraining of the pilgrims especially those that go for Hajj through private Tour Operators known as International pilgrims.
“I advise the chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria to take the training of pilgrims seriously, I want all the state of the federation to emulate Kano state because it is rare for a Kano state pilgrim not to know how to perform act of worship but most of the international pilgrim know nothing before embarking on the spiritual journey which can invalidate their act of worship during Hajj.”
Another member of the council who is the Director pilgrim’s welfare board Enugu, Alhaji Adam Edoko also advised NAHCON Chairman not to limit Hajj awareness and enlightenment programme to only Hajj period.
The area I want to draw attention to is the area of hajj awareness and enlightenment programme, which the act establishing the Commission laid emphases on, I want to suggest that the programme should be made round the clock instead of restricting it to few weeks or months before commencing on the Hajj activities because to my own understanding you cannot have a successful hajj without knowing what Islam is all about I want to suggest that NAHCON starts by training it staff so that they can represent the commission the in six geopolitical zone,” he explained.
Another member of the Council Muhammad Bin-Uthman, who quoted the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammed SAW (Sahih Muslim) on how to perform Hajj while advising the Chairman said the issue of conveying the pilgrims to Munna on the on the 7th day of Zhulhijja instead of the early morning of the 8th day of month as prescribed by the Prophet Muhammad SAW should be corrected.
When the prophet said we should imitate him nobody has the right to command or force people to do it contrary to his teaching because for any act of worship to be accepted by Allah there are three conditions one of such is that it has to be done according to the teaching otherwise Allah will throw it away, even if the system of Saudi Arabia compels us we have to come together to make sure that the pilgrims are conveyed on the day and the time the prophet did it, that is the early morning of the 8th day of the month of Zhulhijja, we should look for ways of correcting things instead of tampering with the teaching of the prophet.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation Sheikh AbdulRasheed Hadiyatullah, who read the speech of the President of the council Dr. Ibrahim Datti Ahmad, said the members were not in NAHCON to congratulate the new Chairman for his appointment but to remind him of the trust bestowed on him by Allah.
He commended him on the efforts the Commission is making towards the reduction of Hajj fare without compromising quality and the reduction of number days pilgrims spend in the holy Land.
‘’As major stakeholders, we are always ready to assist. We hope that this is not the last meeting we will have with you. We have confidence in you and we pray that you will lead Nigeria’s ummah without favouritism, nepotism and injustice because NAHCON is the only office that is attached to one of the five pillars of Islam.
While responding, the NAHCON chairman Barrister Zikirullah Hassan, thanked the Council for their visit saying that it is an honour to him and his team.
He said the commission will work towards implementing all the advice given by the Council.
On the issue of conveying the pilgrims to Munna on the 7th of zhulhijja instead of the 8th, the chairman said that is caused by the host country (Saudi Arabia) who decides the time buses will be ready for the movement of the pilgrims but the Commission will look into it.
“I want assure you that we are committed with whatever has been done previously and we grateful that we found ourselves here in this position because we never lobbied for it, as it just happened but luckily for me I have worked with past two chairmen and board members and we are ready to work with anyone who has the interest of the commission at heart.”
Members of the delegation were pulled from all the states of the federation.
SOURCE: VON
