The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria Ulama team has advised Nigerian pilgrims to pray for their leaders and not curse them as they remain part of the society.

The clerics offered the advice while speaking with journalists on the sidelines of the ongoing hajj pilgrimage in Makkah on Thursday.

Rafee Al-Ijebuwi, Grand Mufti of Ogun and member of the NAHCON Ulama team for the 2025 hajj operation, urged Nigerian pilgrims to pray for their leaders and country in the same manner as the Prophet Muhammad did for Mecca.

“As far as the country is concerned, every pilgrim here in the holy land should love Nigeria and should pray for Nigeria. He or she should love Nigeria the way Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) loved Mecca.

“As for our leaders, it is the responsibility of every pilgrim, male and female, to pray that Allah should inspire our leaders with what will benefit the masses of the country.

“No pilgrim should curse the leaders because they are the products of your society. You and I should adjust where it is necessary,” he said.

Sheikh Garba Al-Yolawi, Chief Imam, Area 10 Mosque, Abuja, urged pilgrims to pray for Allah’s guidance to direct Nigeria’s leaders aright.

According to Al-Yolawi, Nigeria faces numerous issues, including security, economic challenges, moral decay, social vices, and leadership challenges.

“We need divine intervention. With about 50,000 pilgrims sincerely praying, Allah can change things.

“But we must not pray for the ‘driver of the car’ (our leaders) to crash while we are still passengers in the same car. If the driver crashes, so we do.

“We must pray for guidance and change that Allah directs our leaders aright and that He opens their hearts to do good. Prayer can manifest in many ways. It can cause a person to change, lose power or regain sense. All of these are possible responses to sincere prayers,” he said.

(NAN)