The Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency on Tuesday launched a reviewed curriculum (Hajj training manual) and guide for the pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

The reviewed guide was published in 2015, while the curriculum, meant for training pilgrims, was published in 2019 in Hausa, but were now all reviewed in English language.

The review, carried out by a constituted 12-man committee by the Agency, comprised religious clerics and personnel of Immigration, NAFDAC and NDLEA, among others.

Speaking at the preview and launch of the guide and curriculum, the Executive Secretary of the Agency, Dr. Yusuf Arrigasiyyu, said the guide was aimed at correcting the mistakes and ensuring clarity in Hajj performance.

He also said that the reviewed curriculum was to ensure harmony in Hajj, while standing on unambiguous school of thoughts and strict prophetic ideals.

Arrigassiyu said the former pilgrims training and enlightenment manual, and the Pilgrims guide had been in use for over two decades.

He noted that the Agency would reproduce copies of the work for distribution to prospective pilgrims and pilgrim trainers.

He also noted that the manuals and guide were upgraded in line with global best practices and current knowledge.

Arrigasiyyu further said the agency would advertise to the general public for those interested in a standardised pilgrims training to apply and be screened for the ad hoc duty of training.

“The admitted trainers will then be trained by the committee before they go on to train intending pilgrims,” he said.

The Executive Secretary thanked the Kaduna state Government for its support to the agency, which he said earned the agency top rating among the best in 2022 Hajj operations.

“The pilgrimage was conducted by the agency successfully, thereby earning certificates of award and appreciation both by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.

“Efforts of the agency are in line with Governor El-Rufai’s administration’s drive for a more efficient pilgrimage system in the state,” he said.

He thanked the review committee for the good job, while praying for better leaders to emerge at the helm of affairs of the state and the nation in general.

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The Chairperson of the review committee, Dr. Hadiza Ahmad, said the previous version of the Hajj guide had grammatical and typological errors.

She also said the old version was ambiguous and had errors in sequential arrangements of practices during Hajj which were corrected in the reviewed version.

“We also included current global practices of the Hajj in the reviewed copies and concentrated on the ‘Maliki’ school of thoughts which Nigeria is practising,” she said.

Ahmad, however, observed that there were other school of thoughts which were corrected and accepted, but choose that of the ‘Maliki’, as a standard guide for Kaduna pilgrims.

She urged pilgrims to read the guide for proper acts at the holy land, while calling on those teaching Hajj practice to ensure strict adherence to the curriculum.

The Chairman of the Kaduna State Interfaith Bureau, Tahir Umar, restated the commitment to continue working in synergy with the Pilgrimage Agency to ensure smooth exercise.

He urged religious clerics to avoid inciting sermons and other acts that could trigger unrest.

The Star