The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has prayed for God’s guidance after partaking in the lesser Hajj (Umrah) in Saudi Arabia, saying his prayers encompass Nigeria’s progress and the well-being of humanity.
The President, who recently attended the Saudi-Africa summit in Riyadh, shared insights into the nature of his supplications while fielding questions from the press.
When asked about his specific prayers for Nigeria, President Tinubu said, “The prospect of the country is yet to blossom to the level we require. It needs hard work and prayers.” Speaking further, Tinubu stated that the strength of Nigeria is in its diversity.
“Our strength is our diversity, and we will continue to build on that prospect,” he said.
The lesser Hajj (Umrah) is an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca that can be undertaken at any time of the year, in contrast to the Ḥajj pilgrimage, which has specific dates according to the Islamic lunar calendar.
Umrah requires Muslims to perform two key rituals, Tawaf and Sa’i. Tawaf is a circling round the Kaaba seven times.This is followed by Sa’i, a walk to commemorate Hagar‘s search for water for her son and God’s mercy in answering prayers. Pilgrims conclude the pilgrimage with Halq, a partial or complete shortening of the hair.
Umrah is sometimes considered the “lesser pilgrimage”, in that it is not compulsory, but is still highly recommended.
Credit: dailypost.ng
