Pilgrims from all over the world pass through designated stations known as Miqat, where they formally declare their intention to perform Hajj and enter the state of Ihram, marking the beginning of the sacred journey.
For those going to Makka through Madinah their Miqat is at a place called Zhulhulaifah, about 15kms away from Madinah.
While there, they go through the process of resetting the soul on a journey of deep devotion as they prepare to carry out one of the five pillars of Islam, the Hajj.
An Islamic cleric and member of the Islamic Scholars, the Ulama Team to the Hajj, Daud Ibrahim, explained that the pilgrims do what the prophet recommended while on Hajj.
“All pilgrims will go to Zhulhulaifa, while there, they take a bath, perform wudhu, pray two raakats of prayers and cover themselves with the two pieces of white garments, called Ihram”. “For women, they can use any decent clothes without ornaments”.
The 2026 Hajj is expected to commence on the eighth of Dhul Hijja, that is, the 25th of this month, where over two million pilgrims are expected to converge on the world’s largest Tent City, called Minna, a few kilometers away from Makka and proceed to Arafat the following day, which scholars explained that it is the peak of the pilgrimage.
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has so far airlifted 37000 out of the 50000 intending pilgrims from Nigeria to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the 2026 hajj exercise.
RN