By: Muhammad Garba
In Islam, Umrah, commonly known as the Lesser Hajj, holds an important place as an act of worship and spiritual devotion. Although it is not compulsory in the same way as Hajj, it is a highly rewarding pilgrimage that can be performed at any time of the year. It offers Muslims an opportunity to renew their faith, seek forgiveness, express gratitude to Almighty Allah and pray for divine guidance and blessings.
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The journey to Makkah is therefore more than a physical undertaking. It is an opportunity for spiritual reflection, humility and submission to the will of Almighty Allah. For many Muslims, performing Umrah is a deeply cherished experience, particularly because of the opportunity to offer personal supplications at Islam’s holiest sites.
It was against this spiritual background that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu travelled to Makkah, Saudi Arabia, to perform Umrah. Beyond the personal fulfilment of the pilgrimage, the President used the opportunity to pray for Nigeria’s peace, unity, stability and prosperity.
At a time when Nigeria, like many other countries, is confronted with economic, security and political challenges, the President’s decision to seek divine guidance and offer prayers for the country deserves consideration beyond the usual political arguments.
Unfortunately, what should ordinarily be a personal religious experience has attracted considerable political commentary, including criticism from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Atiku’s demand for regular, date-stamped photographs and videos of the President’s activities in the Holy Land has generated debate about the boundaries between public accountability and personal religious obligations. While the President’s official activities are legitimate subjects of public scrutiny, there should also be room to recognise the personal and spiritual nature of religious worship.
There is no doubt that every public office holder is accountable to the people. President Tinubu’s policies, decisions and performance in office remain legitimate subjects of public assessment. However, accountability should not be confused with the politicisation of personal religious obligations.
Religion is a sensitive and deeply personal matter. In a religiously diverse country such as Nigeria, political leaders and their supporters should demonstrate restraint and mutual respect when discussing the faith and religious practices of others. Political disagreements should not become an excuse to diminish the spiritual significance of religious obligations.
Throughout the pilgrimage, President Tinubu maintained a spiritual focus, offering prayers for Nigeria and seeking divine intervention for peace, national harmony, stability and prosperity. He also expressed hope that the 2027 general election would be conducted peacefully, without violence or unnecessary tension.
His prayers for Nigeria, irrespective of political affiliations, represent an expression of goodwill that should resonate with citizens across the country. While political parties may have different visions and aspirations, the desire for peaceful elections and national stability should be a shared responsibility.
One of the most remarkable moments of the President’s visit was the rare privilege extended to him and members of his delegation to enter the interior of the Holy Kaaba and offer prayers.
The President arrived in Saudi Arabia on October 30, performed Umrah in the early hours of October 31 and, on November 1, was granted access to the interior of the Holy Kaaba.
Access to the Kaaba’s interior is highly restricted and is not part of the obligatory rites of either Hajj or Umrah. The opportunity is extended on special occasions and to selected dignitaries through the appropriate Saudi authorities.
For President Tinubu, the experience carried particular personal significance. It was reportedly his first opportunity to enter the interior of the Kaaba, despite having performed Hajj and Umrah several times before becoming President.
He explained that the visit fulfilled a vow he made before the 2023 presidential election: that if Almighty Allah granted him victory, he would return to the Holy Land to express gratitude.
Reflecting on the experience, the President said he prayed for wisdom and resilience to continue serving Nigerians, adding that he believed the prayer had been granted.
The opportunity represents an extraordinary spiritual privilege. President Tinubu expressed gratitude to the Saudi leadership, particularly the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, for the honour.
Beyond its religious significance, the gesture also reflects the cordial relationship between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, strengthened by longstanding religious, diplomatic and bilateral ties.
Another important aspect of the pilgrimage was the President’s participation in the physical rites of Umrah. These include Tawaf, the circumambulation of the Kaaba seven times, and Sa’i, the movement between the hills of Safa and Marwa, commemorating the experience of Hajar, the wife of Prophet Ibrahim (AS).
These rites require physical effort and endurance, and President Tinubu participated in them during his pilgrimage.
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The images and videos of his participation also provide an opportunity to distinguish observable facts from recurring public speculation about his health and physical capacity. Nigerians are entitled to seek transparency about their President’s wellbeing, but discussions should be guided by facts rather than unsupported assumptions.
It is equally important to discourage attempts to question or ridicule an individual’s religious devotion. Political differences should not become a basis for disparaging another person’s relationship with Almighty Allah or their ability to fulfil religious obligations.
During his stay in Makkah, the President also led members of his delegation in a congregational Maghrib prayer. Maghrib is one of the five obligatory daily prayers in Islam, during which the Imam recites portions of the Glorious Qur’an aloud in the first two units.
His participation in leading the congregation was another public demonstration of his engagement with the religious observances of his faith.
Nigerians are free to disagree with President Tinubu politically, but respect for religious freedom, personal dignity and individual beliefs should remain fundamental values in our democratic engagement.
It is also important to recognise that leadership requires moments of reflection and spiritual renewal. President Tinubu’s reference to the supremacy of Almighty Allah, particularly the message contained in Surah Aal-Imran, verse 26, which affirms that Allah grants sovereignty and authority to whom He wills, underscores the humility that should accompany public office.
The President’s pilgrimage therefore offers an opportunity to reflect on the relationship between faith, leadership and national responsibility. Public office is a trust, and those entrusted with it must continually seek the wisdom, courage and compassion required to serve the people.
Umrah: An Honour Beyond Political Considerations
President Tinubu’s Umrah should be understood primarily as an act of worship and gratitude to Almighty Allah, rather than reduced to political calculations.
The President has performed Hajj and Umrah on several occasions before assuming office. His explanation that the latest pilgrimage fulfilled a personal vow made before the 2023 election further underscores its spiritual significance.
He travelled to the Holy Land in Ihram, participated in the religious rites and offered prayers for Nigeria. These are matters that deserve recognition within their religious context, regardless of political differences.
The honour of entering the interior of the Kaaba is also significant beyond the individual who receives it. For many Nigerians, particularly Muslims, the President’s experience represents a moment of national pride and an opportunity to strengthen the country’s relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari was also granted access to the interior of the Kaaba in 2016. Such experiences should be viewed within the context of the religious and diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, rather than turned into unnecessary political controversies.
It is equally important to reject attempts to reduce the President’s pilgrimage to a strategy for securing Northern votes. Islam is not the property of any region, ethnic group or political party. It is a religion practised by millions of Nigerians across the North and South.
President Tinubu’s faith and religious obligations should therefore not be subjected to regional or electoral interpretations. Religious worship should be respected as a personal commitment, not automatically viewed through the lens of political advantage.
Nigeria is facing serious security and economic challenges that require practical policies, effective governance and responsible leadership. At the same time, many Nigerians believe in the importance of prayer and divine guidance in addressing the country’s difficulties.
The President’s decision to seek wisdom and resilience at Islam’s holiest sites is consistent with that belief. Rather than turning the pilgrimage into another source of political division, political leaders and their supporters should also recognise the importance of praying and working for Nigeria’s progress.
Ultimately, the country’s peace, unity and prosperity should remain collective aspirations, transcending political, religious and ethnic differences.
Nigeria’s challenges require not only responsible leadership, effective policies and constructive political engagement but also the collective prayers, goodwill and commitment of its people.
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President Tinubu’s Umrah is, above all, a journey of faith, gratitude and prayers for the nation. Its spiritual significance should not be lost in the noise of partisan politics.
Muhammad Garba is the Director of Media and Publicity, Tinubu/Abba Kabir Yusuf Campaign Organization, Kano, and one of the spokespersons of the Tinubu Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).
