* Agency guides pilgrims on Rawdah bookings, lectures, ziyarah ahead of diaspora pilgrims’ arrival
The pilgrims of Hajj Mabrur Ventures Limited, one of Nigeria’s leading and award winning operators for Hajj, have continued to arrive in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, in batches following the commencement of their airlift from Nigeria for the 2026 Hajj exercise, Muslim News can authoritatively confirm.
The first set of pilgrims departed on Wednesday and Thursday, May 13 and 14, through different international flight arrangements from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. They travelled via Emirates Airline to Abuja before continuing their journey to Dubai aboard Turkish Airlines.
Meanwhile, the Abuja batch commenced on Friday, May 15 via Turkish Airlines.
Our correspondent gathered that the Nigerian pilgrims who have arrived in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have settled down in Madinah, where they are currently observing prayers and participating in spiritual activities ahead of their movement to Makkah for the continuation of their Hajj rites.
Alhaji Abdul Hameed Solate, Managing Director of the company, is due to arrive in Madinah on Sunday to join the pilgrims and coordinate ongoing logistics.
It was further confirmed that preparations have been completed for the arrival of diaspora pilgrims, expected to commence on Monday, May 18.
The agency disclosed that all Hajj Mabrur pilgrims are scheduled to depart Madinah for Makkah on May 21 in line with the group’s Hajj itinerary.
Muslim News was also informed that pilgrims under Hajj Mabrur Ventures Limited are enjoying a unique privilege of holding two visas in one journey [Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)] as part of their 2026 Hajj travel arrangement.
The agency, however, clarified that the unique opportunity is exclusively available to the first, second, and third Lagos batches travelling through Emirates Airline.
This special arrangement allows the pilgrims not only to perform Hajj and Umrah in the blessed lands of Makkah and Madinah, but also to experience a transit stop in Dubai, where they are expected to enjoy the hospitality and modern attractions of the city en route to Saudi Arabia.
According to the agency, the arrangement is designed to add value to the pilgrimage experience, offering pilgrims a moment of rest and reflection during their journey while appreciating the broader blessings attached to the trip.
Officials noted that pilgrims are encouraged to use the opportunity to rest well, remain spiritually focused, and reflect on the barakah of being granted access to two of the world’s most significant travel and spiritual destinations within a single journey.
Muslim News reliably learnt that the agency has commenced guidance and orientation sessions for pilgrims on how to secure bookings and visits to Rawdah, the sacred area within the Prophet’s Mosque regarded as one of the most spiritually significant places in Madinah.
After the Raudah visitation, the pilgrims are also expected to embark on Ziyarah, which involves guided visits to notable historical and religious sites in Madinah before proceeding to Makkah for the remaining rites of Hajj.
As part of efforts to enhance the spiritual experience of the pilgrims, the agency has been organising a series of religious and educational engagements in Madinah.
Scholar urges pilgrims to maximise rewards at Prophet’s Mosque
During one of the lectures held on Saturday night, one of the spiritual guides, Sheikh Saeed Salman, spoke extensively on the significance and virtues of Masjid an Nabawi, the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.
The respected Muslim scholar and Deputy Registrar at Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) described it as the second mosque established in Islam and noted that prayers observed there attract multiplied rewards.
According to him, “A prayer observed in the Prophet’s Mosque carries one thousand rewards. It is a mosque of knowledge where people constantly learn the Qur’an, Hadith, and Arabic studies.”
The Mudir of Madrasat Sahwatul Islamiyyah encouraged pilgrims to make proper use of their stay in Madinah by engaging in acts of worship, recitation of the Qur’an, and constant salutations upon Prophet Muhammad.
He explained that sending salutations upon the Prophet remains one of the means through which prayers are answered by Allah.
Sheikh Salman also advised pilgrims to avoid unnecessary conversations and distractions within the mosque, urging them to focus on spiritual devotion and acts that would earn divine rewards.
He further reminded the pilgrims that the unique rewards attached to prayers in the Prophet’s Mosque cannot be compared with those of other mosques elsewhere, regardless of their beauty or size.
The spiritual guide therefore urged the pilgrims to maximise the rare opportunity of being in Madinah through increased worship, reflection, and seeking closeness to Allah before the commencement of the core Hajj rites in Makkah.
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