The Hajj is the fifth and final pillar of Islam, and it is the obligation of every Muslim to undertake the pilgrimage at least once in their lives if they can afford it and are physically able. During Hajj, pilgrims join processions of hundreds of thousands of people, who simultaneously converge in Mecca in the week of the Hajj.
They perform series of rituals where each person walks counter-clockwise seven times around the Ka’aba (the cube-shaped building and the direction of prayer for the Muslims), runs back and forth between the hills of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah , drinks from the Zamzam Well , goes to the plains of Mount Arafat to stand in vigil, spends a night in the plain of Muzdalifa, and performs symbolic stoning of the devil by throwing stones at three pillars.
Unfortunately, the running of this important spiritual exercise has not been smooth at all especially in Africa. For instance, in 2007, 6,000 Nigerians could not make the Hajj even though they had their airline tickets for Saudi Arabia. In the same year, 3,000 Ghanaian pilgrims faced a similar plight. Also, Some 1,500 pilgrims from Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo got stranded at Dar es Salaam Airport for ten days.
The good news in Ghana, however, is that under the high-end leadership of His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama, Muslim are enjoying an almost problem-free Hajj. No pilgrim has been stranded in Ghana since 2013. There is now a Hajj Village with modern facilities to make them much more comfortable. To forestall a situation whereby some pilgrims lost their lives in previous trips through ill-health, pilgrims now go through stringent medical checks at the Hajj Village before embarking on the trip. Also, doctors and nurses accompany every flight that leaves the shore of Ghana.
Another thing of considerable interest is the Mahama government’s expansion work on the Tamale Airport into an international one which will make it possible for our Muslims brothers and sisters from the northern part of the country to comfortably fly from Tamale to Mecca from next year.
To further demonstrate his love for Muslims, President Mahama has made it a tradition to see first flight of pilgrims of every Hajj off. This is absolutely fantastic and Muslims will forever be grateful.
