Ameerul Hajj fct: Patience is the watch word for our success

Hajj, the act of Umrah is amongst the best deeds one can perform when pleasing Allah. Allah loves those who strive in his path in hopes of pleasing Him alone and Umrah is an act in which Allah considers the pilgrim to be answering His call. Ibn Umar (R) narrates that Prophet (S) said, ‘The warrior in the cause of Allah, the pilgrim and the one who is performing Umrah are all the delegation of Allah. He called them and they responded and they will ask of His bestowals and He will give it to them.’
Another tremendous reward for performing Hajj is the acceptance of our supplications. If we ask for Allah’s forgiveness, He the Most Forgiving responds to our prayer as narrated in the following Hadith:
Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Those who perform the Hajj and those who perform the Umrah are people who have come to visit Allah. If they supplicate Him He will respond to them, and if they ask Him for forgiveness He will forgive them.”
Since our God listens to the supplications of those who come to perform Hajj, let us ask enormous blessings from Allah. The best supplication is to ask for success both in this world and in the hereafter or a well-balanced life. We can do this especially when we are doing our tawaf (circumambulation of the Ka’bah) when we are between the Yamani corner and the black stone based on the following Ahâdîth:
‘Abdullah bin As-Sa’ib narrated: “I heard Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.) say between the two corners, ‘O Allah, bring us a blessing in this world and a blessing in the next and guard us from punishment of Hell.’”
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Seventy angels have been put in charge of it (i.e. the Yamani corner), so if anyone says, ‘O Allah, I ask you for pardon and wellbeing in this world and the next. Our God, bring us a blessing in this world and a blessing in the next, and guard us from the punishment of Hell’, they will say ‘Ameen.’”
These are some of the reason while the Muslims travels to Makkah every year for Umrah and Hajj.
Nigerian Muslims for over 1000 years ago have been on regular participation, thousands Muslims from this country are among those who make up the top of the list of pilgrimage in Suadi Arabia yearly.
Yearly, the administration of pilgrims has always been led by those without the experiences, though they are Muslims but Hajj managements is beyond just being a Muslim, in other words, it was politicized. Until recently when the Government of the day, President Good luck Jonathan yielded to the callings of the Islamic leaders and the Muslims on reason Islamic  matter should be not be dragged into politics. The president therefore authorized the Ameerul Mu’umin, the President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA and Sultan of Sokoto Alh Sa’ad Abubakar to be the permanent Ameerul Hajji in Nigeria. Ever since then, hajji operation in Nigeria has been successful no matter the level of the challenges yearly.
The president general of NSCIA, a leader the Muslims in Nigeria believe to have been working sleepless night to for the unity of the Muslims and non-Muslims in Nigeria, despite huge differences and barriers, but stood tall to face all obstacle against the unity of the Muslims and the entire nation. In his wisdom, he selected the Oba of Lagos as this year’s National Amirul Hajj Oba Rilwan Babatunde Osuolale, another leader that is always in the front lines of Islamic propagation. This is to further unite the Muslim in Nigeria.
President Goodluck Jonathan recently at Dutse International Airport, Jigawa State, flagged-off the commencement of airlift of the first set of intending Hajj Pilgrims to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for this Year’s Hajj exercise.
He said “I believe all pilgrims are aware of the challenges facing our country. These challenges require not only dedication of the leadership but also prayers from every pilgrim. We should therefore be persistent in our prayers for peace, progress and prosperity of our beloved country.”
The FCT Minister Mallam Bala Muhammad recently inaugurated the Ameerul Hajji FCT, who is saddled with leading all Abuja pilgrimage to the Saudi Arabia, in person of Serikin Jiwa HRH Alh Idris Musa. I was astonished his selection as the Ameerul Hajji FCT by the Minister, in my opinion, I agreed that a good leader is about the head motivation, since the president Jonathan has allowed the Muslims to be in charge of the affairs of Hajj, every other organs of Government followed suit it is appropriate  to that the selection of the Serikin Jiwa as the Ameerul Hajji FCT is a welcome idea as HRH is known for active participation on Islamic matters regularly regardless of the status of the organizers. In an interview I held with him in his palace in Abuja recently, he gave me the background of what usually encouraged him to have passion on any Islamic activities.
He said his background despite being a prince from Jiwa Municipal Council in federal capital territory; he said all his families are predominantly Muslim. All the indigenes of Jiwa were predominantly Muslims, except the Gwari’s who leave with them are the Christians. But he is a man of all people, both the Muslims and the Christians. He added that during his student days till he became health officer or an environment officer, and all his experience in the services both in FCT and outside Abuja, was full of Islamic trainings and activities, because his family accommodated and trained several Imams and Islamic teacher in and around Abuja metropolises. He said till he was call to serve his people, all he knows was Islam.
He said when he was offered this position and accepted to serve, many people said he has the capability to serve, but what he believes is that Allah is his vision and aspirations. His said he handed over all plans on how FCT would have successful Hajj to Allah. He also said the success of any successful Hajji is between the welfare board, the committee, and with cooperation there would always be success. Also, another angle to the success is patience between the management and the pilgrims to Hajji; he said it is a common knowledge that it’s difficult to manage Human being. But with the present management the director of the pilgrim welfare Board FCT and the members of the Ministerial committee, we are having a wonderful relationship, on like previous ways of operation, the Ameerul Hajji would not be carried along in most of the administrative activities which make things difficult but the present director is taking everybody along in all his activities and everybody is doing everything together in this year operation which indicates the success we all are envisaging.
He also commented on the preparations for the FCT pilgrimage in Makkah and their welfare. He said Abuja pilgrims are treated specially because of the personalities that are involved and in his leadership he treats everybody as important. He said all the leaders have been assigned with a particular task targeted to a result which is closely monitored by him.
The management is divided into different batches of the pilgrims and different date of departure with designated tag with details of your flight affiliations and the management group that are in charge. If you are not scheduled to board you can’t be allowed in and all arrangement has been concluded with Saudi Airline for the air lift with respect to time arrangement. No African time as excuses. All the FCT pilgrims had gone through adequate trainings on what to do when to do it that will be more appropriate.
He also confirmed that gone are the days when the official would be the first to leave Nigeria to Makkah and neglected the pilgrims and they would also be the first to come back to Nigeria unconcerned about the affairs of the pilgrims. He said under his leadership, all Abuja pilgrims would stay together in the same Hotel and he and some of the leaders would be the last to leave Nigeria after every pilgrim might have departed to Makkah. He said he would also wait till every pilgrim from FCT returns before he and other officials could come back.He thanked the FCT minister Hon Bala Muhammad for the good works he is doing in FCT. He prayed that Allah would reward him abundantly.
HRH adviced all the intending pilgrims to be patient with one another, only with that all expectation would be met and we shall be calling for celebration of successful 2014 Hajj operation.
Earlier, the FCT Minister advised intending pilgrims to adhere strictly to the flight schedules because, the airliner assigned to airlift them to the holy land is Saudi airline that is not used to our operation. In fact, whoever, misses his/her flight should be blamed as the issue would be treated in accordance with international standards. He said the outbreak of Ebola almost marred the 2014 pilgrim exercise but has been overcome, stressing that the committee should ensure that each pilgrim is screened before being airborne.
My wishes for all the intending FCT pilgrims is Hajjun Mabrur.