How ready are intending pilgrims for 2018 Hajj?By Fatima Sanda Usara

In less than a month from now, the airlift of intending pilgrims from Nigeria for 2018 Hajj would have commenced.
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) in conjunction with the relevant state boards, agencies and private operators have done and are still doing all things humanly possible to conduct a stable and satisfactory Hajj operation that meets acceptable standards.
In less than a month from now, intending pilgrims who have paid their dues shall be called upon to begin their onward journey to the holy land.
Some will answer the call with nostalgia-having been there before, and some will do so with anxiety, not knowing what to expect from the single largest world gathering ever witnessed by humanity.
Pilgrimage comes with its fascination and frustrations.
There cannot be one without the other.
And one must not be ignored for the other.
To consider the picture outside of this calculation is like living in a fantasy.
Hajj is bittersweet.
Towards this reality intending pilgrims must all prepare.
Hajj is a form of worship that tests a person’s faith, patience, perseverance, strength and trust in Allah.
Hence, no matter NAHCON’s state of preparedness, pilgrims must prepare their minds to the reality of adjusting to a certain degree of inconveniences.
One’s Hajj begins the moment one sets his feet out of one’s home to proceed to Makkah.
This is because life will not be the same again for the next couple of weeks.
Hajj is an art of worship like the daily prayers, fasting and charity.
No form of worship comes with complete ease, not even marriage is devoid of its crisis: marriage a sunnah kind of worship where couples are supposed to find comfort and peace with each other.
How much more a trip that will involve meeting and sharing facilities with strangers? How much do we cope sharing a home with our own siblings or hostel with schoolmates? Juxtapose these scenarios with the Hajj journey; the picture may begin to form.
The angle that this article seeks to illustrate is not one of fear but one of realism: intending pilgrims must carry an accommodative mind, be considerate in their expectations, appreciative and weigh situations before drawing conclusions.
Hajj is not a leisurely tourism trip.
It is intended to be a form of devotion where the Almighty tests the believers to establish who amongst them will abandon the comfort and luxuries of their homes for a strenuous stretch of time, submitting to His will alone? Allah intends to distinguish those who will obey Him in ease and in difficulty, despite knowing that their toils will not increase or decrease His Majesty in any way.
A pilgrim must make sacrifices.
Sacrifice in material wealth, time, and sacrifice in physical worship.
This worship does not end with Hajj rites only, tolerating and safeguarding thy brother’s welfare is the other side of the worship.
Remember, The Most High orders the pilgrim to take provision along with him for the journey, but the best provision is not the BTA, basic travel allowance, but the provision of taqwa, in other words, piety.
Piety that will make one remember that during Hajj, there should be no disputes, no committing of sins and that whatever good one does, The Majestic Lord knows of it.
This is the greatest form of preparedness a pilgrim can do for himself.
Another form of preparedness that pilgrims need to make is to turn on the bodily drill mode.
To be well prepared, pilgrims should realize that Hajj is a time of physical activities therefore; the time to end any sedentary lifestyle is now.
The more physical exercises or activities an intending pilgrim indulges in, the more adaptable the rigors of Hajj become.
Recall that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia recently advised persons above 65 and under 12 years old, the pregnant woman and chronically sick not to travel for Hajj for their own safety.
Pilgrims are advised to consider taking daily short walks to improve their physical fitness and state of readiness.
It is disclosed by Saudi Ministry of Health that those in the afore mentioned categories are more prone to tragic incidents due to hardship, harsh weather, lack of acclimatization, strenuous physical activities etc.
while performing Hajj.
Therefore, in order not to fall victim of a sudden change of lifestyle that may impact negatively on one’s health, begin a regime of self-imposed physical exercises.
Similarly, a prepared person is the one who will make himself/herself available at the airport immediately their flights are announced.
This time around, it will do Nigerian pilgrims tons of good if they reconsider our African timing toga.
Truth is, Saudi Arabia has introduced a policy whereby any plane that fails to land on schedule in any of the two designated pilgrims’ airports in the KSA loses that slot until another is arranged for it; after paying a fine.
Thus, any pilgrim that fails to make appearance when their flights are announced will have to wait for another flight; after paying the “no show” fine to the airline.
NAHCON is not leaving anything to chance in its determination to see that Hajj 2018 is a success.
Medical screening is one of the areas of concern to the commission.
But the success of any program is the readiness and commitment of all parties involved.
Intending pilgrims are thus urged to give their utmost cooperation to all officials handling screening, documentation and any other arrangements meant to ensure that all pilgrims are given the best attention they deserve.
Here is to wish all intending pilgrims Hajj mabrur; a pilgrims greatest desire.
Usara writes from NAHCON, Public Affairs Division