By Olatunji Buhari
On May 14, 2026, I joined other Muslim pilgrims on a journey to Saudi Arabia to fulfill one of the five pillars of Islam- Hajj. The other pillars include saying the Shahada(profession of faith) which affirms that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Prophet Muhammaed(PBuH) is His Messenger. The second is Sallah( praying five times a day) and the third is Zakat (giving alms to the poor and the needy. Number four is Fasting during the month of Ramadan. Stting at number five is pilgrimage (hajj) for those who are sane, mature and have the financial wherewithal to undertake the journey of worship.
Our Emirates flight landed in Medinah city at about 3:00 a.m on May 16, and we proceeded straight to the hotel. Medinah, we were told, is home to the Prophet Muhammad’s Mosque and his final resting place. Driving through the city, I noticed the mountains which took me back memory lane of a movie some of us watched growing up titled The Message, a film about the early days of Islam.
As I looked at the mountains, I was wondering if these were the same landscapes that witnessed some of the defining moments in Islamic history.
I still remember the stories of great companions such as Hamzat and Umar and how they were depicted in The Message defending their faith against persecution by the idol worshipping Arabs of the time.
One story that struck me from the narration was the martyrdom of Hamzat. According to our interlocutor, a slave was used by the opponents of Islam to kill the great warrior. Ideally, in Islam, in times of war, women and slaves are exempted from being attacked; but the oppressor wickedly used one of their slaves to penetrate the camp of the oppressed muslims, and as a result Hamzat was killed.
This story reminded me about the complexities of war and the sacrifices made by those who stood firmly for their faith.
On arriving at the hotel, I dropped my luggage along with others in the lobby and noticed a magnificent structure at a distance.
On enquiry I was told that it was the Prophet’s Mosque. I must say that I was humbled and speechless for a moment on seeing the beauty and grandeur of the mosque. This is a place that has been described as the second -holiest site in Islam and the final resting place of the Prophet Muhammad (PUBH).
Looking at the magnificent edifice from the window of my hotel room, I was eager to visit. So, I did on Saturday morning and I was further humbled. The architecture, the exquisite design, the rugs and the general ambience was a sight to behold. I felt immediate ease and peace seeing the place and the millions of worshippers trooping in and out of the spiritual building. The mosque was about or less than five-minute walk from my hotel and because of that I was going there practically every day to observe my daily prayers.
I spent three days in Medina, visiting some of the historical places, including the spot where the second battle of Badr took place and the first mosque of Prophet Muhammed(PBUH). And one thing that particularly caught my attention was the cleanliness of the mosques and their surroundings. The facilities were spotless and the workers were friendly and helpful. I was impressed with the level of maintenance and that left a lasting impression on me.
The Journey to Makkah:
On Tuesday, we departed Medinah for Makkah at about 8:30 p.m. I was worried initially to travel that late in the night for a journey that I learnt would take about hours, but my fellow pilgrims assuredly calmed me down that this is not Nigeria and that the roads are safe. Despite his confidence, I still had my internal fear.
But this confidence in the security of another country made me reflect at the security situation in my home country. Especially hearing about the news of the abduction of the Ogbomosho students and teachers while we were there. I sincerely pray for their safe return.
True to my fellow pilgrim’s statement, we drove on a smooth road for eight hours and arrived safely in Makkah. During the journey, I found myself hoping that one day Nigeria will get to a point where we don’t have to worry about traveling long distances because of insecurity, bad roads and possibility of breakdown of vehicles. The lesson I drew from this experience is pure leadership with a vision and purpose.
The good roads, and the safety we enjoyed during that journey did not happen by accident. It was the result of deliberate planning, vision and commitment. Leadership matters.
Throughout the activities of the pilgrimage, we were enjoined to pray for Nigeria and our leaders. Islam teaches believers to respect authority and pray for their leaders’ success – knowing that good leadership benefits society as a whole.
As I reflected on Nigeria, I prayed that our nation would be blessed with visionary leaders who prioritize the safety, welfare, and prosperity of the people. While corruption remains a major challenge, I have always believed that poor leadership is equally damaging. Development requires leaders who think beyond the present and build for future generations.
A Lesson in Tolerance
Another important lesson Hajj taught me was tolerance. This year, the participating pilgrims were estimated to be about two million from different parts of the world and as such overcrowding was inevitable. During some of the activities – including Tawaf,(the circumambulation of the Ka’bah) and movement to Jamarat to throw pebbles and even moving in and out of mosques, one should expect to be bumped into, stepped on, delayed or pushed along by the crowd. In my view, this is a test of our ego as a people and instead of reacting aggressively to the situation, we should understand that everyone is Allah’s guest and striving to fulfil the same scared obligation.
This taught me about accommodating others, exercising patience and demonstrating tolerance even in an uncomfortable moment. Tolerance is the lesson here.
The Spirit of Generosity
Another thing that also stood out for me is the level of generosity of the people and some organizations. During my stay, I cant remember using my own money to buy bottled water because at every point you turn to, there is water everywhere, In fact, people were given free bottled water on the street as Sadaqat(charity) and organizations will come with a big truck to distribute water , sometimes snacks for the pilgrims. In fact they will even beg you to take it.
This is a commendable effort as it helps the pilgrims who needs to be well hydrated to carry out hajj exercise. Water was not treated like a commodity to be commercialized and was widely available to only those who can afford it.
And I think this is what government at all levels should consider. For instance, I remember during the administration of Alhaji Lateef Jakande in Lagos State, there was water everywhere; but suddenly the water disappeared and this can be attributed to the failure of the successive governments after him to make necessary investment to develop the sector.
In my view, something as basic as water should be made available and affordable for the citizens. Government must recognize this responsibility.
Respect for the Environment
During one of the lecture series, we were taught about the importance of protecting environment and not engaging indiscriminate cutting of trees. We were told it is forbidden to cut any trees in Haram or killing animals anyhow. Those acts are prohibited. The land must be respected and protected.
And this takes me to the issue of climate change where the climate activists have continued to campaign against deforestation because of its negative impact on the ecosystems. It is time high time we paid adequate attention to this because Nigeria, like the rest of the African countries, contribute only a small percentage to the global greenhouse gas emissions, yet bear the greatest impact.
As our own way of contributing to the global climate action, we must do our bit to protect our forests, prevent indiscriminate cutting of trees and preserve the environment.
These are some of the lessons and experiences I brought back from Makkah. Hajj was more than a spiritual endeavor, it was an opportunity to learn and reflect on humanity, tolerance, generosity and leadership.
Hajj Mabrur!
P.S. By the way, I observed some positive improvements at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport(MMIA). Kudos!
*Buhari writes from Lagos.
