About 55,000 Nigerians were among the over two million pilgrims who converged on Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia yesterday to mark the climax of this year’s pilgrimage.
This is as millions of Muslim faithful across the globe celebrate the Eid-el-Kabir today.
The Mount Arafat event features pilgrims’ supplication for Allah’s guidance and forgiveness.
It also involves staying at Arafat from sunrise until sunset as a major rite of the pilgrimage.
The News Agencyu of Nigeria (NAN) reports stated that the movement from Muna, where the pilgrims spent the night in tents, started as early as 12 midnight on Sunday. It was completed at about 6am.
Pilgrims were camped in the tents, fully equipped with cooling system, to alleviate the high temperature which sometimes rose to 44 degrees Centigrade.
At the inaugural movement of the pilgrims to Arafat, the Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Abdullahi Mukhtar, said the Commission commenced the movement early to reduce the harsh effect of weather on them.
The NAHCON boss, who supervised the exercise, said its coordination and monitoring were done by committees set up by the commission.
Pilgrims stand on the plains of Mount Arafat in supplication, praying to Almighty Allah to attain various needs in life and hereafter.
Observing the Arafat prayers is the strongest pillar of Hajj as there is no Hajj without the Arafat.
The Nigerian pilgrims were expected to hold a congregational national prayer session last night.
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