By Abubakar Imam
From Makkah, the city of birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and the place that houses the most magnificent point of attraction for mankind (Ka’aba), I send my warm regards to everyone on this platform.
Being in Makkah and participating in Hajj have been my life ambitions right from childhood. It has been my desire to observe the Hajj rites right from my primary school days.
Sighting the Ka’aba is the greatest pleasure of my life that words cannot adequately capture. Seeing the tomb of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is a privilege I will continue to cherish for the rest of my life. Saluting Prophet Muhammad in his resting place was emotionally captivating. Praying at the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah and visiting some sacred and historic sites were fulfilling.
Being in the same immaculate all white attire with millions of people from different backgrounds is spectacular. And uttering the same words of attestation to the greatness of the Almighty Allah is exceptionally exciting.
Being part of the largest assembly of human beings from all over the world is an opportunity that cannot be adequately captured in words. Apart from the magnitude of people who converged on the Ka’aba, there is also no tribe, tongue , social class or nationality that is not represented here. The emblem displayed by pilgrims show that the ongoing pilgrimage is attracting participants from allover the human race.
While it appears that anyone that has not been met or seen before is in Makkah. I have also seen many who look like some people that I have met previously.
I have also been educated by my experience so far to know that the ability to express oneself in English Language is not a measure of education, intelligence and success.It is just a means to an end and not an end in itself..English Language is just a language as so many white people I came across could not even utter a word of the language.
Yet, from their looks, it is clear that they are successful, brilliant, civilised and exposed.
All these show that the more one knows, the more humble one should become.and that leaving one’s comfort zone is a gateway of appreciating the complexity of life and the dynamism of the world we live in, which should make one to acknowledge the eternal potency of Allah as the Lord of all.
I am now more convinced than ever before that we, human beings, are nothing in the real sense of it. We are all equal before God and that superiority of one person over the other can only be determined by Allah who knows the contents of our minds. There is simply no need for any form of “gragra”.
As a journalist.and patriot, I found myself juxtaposing the infrastructural facilities, the sublimity of the citizens and the organised social system available in Saudi Arabia to what is obtainable in Nigeria. My conclusion is that comparing the two is like placing the intellectual worth of a kindergarten on the same pedestal with that of a Professor. They are simply not at par.
We certainly have a long way to go In Nigeria, May Allah help us to achieve our destined greatness.
All said and done, I am sure readers would like to know my assessment of the quality of services being rendered to pligrims from Ilorin Emirate and Kwara State at large by the Kwara State Muslim Pligrims Welfare Board. I think the performance has been fair and commendable, so far. This presupposes that if the situation is no longer bearable yours sincerely would say so.
Though there is always room for improvement based on the previous experience of co-pilgrims , my experience has not fallen below my “personal expectations”.
This is because I had been prepared by highly experienced individuals like the distinguished Danmadami of Ilorin, Alhaji Shehu AbdulGafar, OON, who advised me not expect to find everything easy. He quoted an Hadith to back his view that when one is on a journey one should not insist on living as he does at home. This position is corroborated by others who told me that “a man who lives his home for a foreign land should be prepared for one inconvenience or the other”.
Yet, the meal we are being served has been averagely good. The accommodation has been equally okay too. Transportation has been relatively efficient and the enlightenment has been illuminating.
In conclusion, I pray to Allah to bless each and everyone of us beyond our expectations. May Allah favour Ilorin Emirate with the emergence of more leaders who would cater for the interests of the less privileged. May we continue to enjoy peace and mutual love and may our community continue to enjoy enormous prosperity and impeccable security of life and property.
I also pray that may Allah enable every member of this platform who is yet to observe Hajj the wherewithal to do so. It is advised that the earlier it is done the better for the participants.
Thank you.
Imam is National Secretary, Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union.
