By Alhaji Abubakarr Bah, Information Attaché, Saudi Arabia.
All of the 2,100 Sierra Leonean pilgrims, including the 100 beneficiaries of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Guest Program for Hajj, safely returned to Makkah on Sunday afternoon after completing the Hajj rituals at Arafat, Muzdalifah, and Mina.
At Mount Arafat on Thursday, 5th June, 2025, Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, His Excellency Mohammed S. Barrie and Deputy Ambassador Alhaji Abdul Aziz Turay joined pilgrims in offering special prayers for the Government and the people of Sierra Leone.
During their stay in Makkah, the Sierra Leonean pilgrims will join other faithfuls from around the world to perform the “Tawaf al-Ifadha,” which involves circumambulating the Kaaba seven times and offering two rakats of prayer behind Maqam Ibrahim, followed by Sa’i (walking or running) between the hills of Safa and Marwah. This ritual commemorates the wife of Prophet Ibrahim, Hajer, who searched for water for her infant son, Prophet Ismail (AS), and teaches Muslims the values of patience, hope, and faith in Allah.
Upon completing the Sa’i, the Sierra Leonean pilgrims will have finished the four main pillars of the Hajj.
The 100 pilgrims who benefited from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Guest Program for Hajj will travel to Madinah on Monday, 9th June 2025, for “Ziyarah” after performing the Farewell Tawaf (Tawaf al-Wada), a mandatory act that signifies a farewell to the holy city and the House of Allah (SWT).
According to sources from the Presidential Hajj Taskforce, a total of 2,000 rams will be sacrificed on Monday as “Tamattu” for all pilgrims performing this year’s Hajj. Dr. Alhaji Chernor Ibrahim Bah (Dokal), a member of the Presidential Hajj Task Force responsible for rituals, explained that the sacrificial lamb is obligatory for every pilgrim who performed Umrah first and then Hajj, known as “Tamattu.”
The scholarship covers the “Tamattu” for the 100 beneficiaries of the Royal scholarship.
The 100 beneficiaries of the Royal scholarship are expected to depart for Freetown on 12th June 2025 via Saudi Airlines, while the 600 Sierra Leonean home-based Hajj pilgrims will depart from Jeddah for Freetown on 24th (first batch of 300) and 25th June 2025 (second batch of 300). Pilgrims from the diaspora will depart for their destinations on various dates starting from 11th June 2025.
A total of 1,673,230 pilgrims from around the world are performing the 1446/2025 Hajj in Makkah. Out of that number, 877,841 are male pilgrims, while female pilgrims numbered 795,389, according to official figures.
Saudi authorities said the movement of pilgrims to Arafat proceeded smoothly, with traffic flowing efficiently and operational plans fully implemented.
Hajj, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, is a religious obligation for Muslims who are physically and financially able to undertake the journey. This year’s pilgrimage runs from June 4 to June 9.
Photos: Courtesy of Dr Ahmed Umar Wurie Bah.
For enquiries:
Abubakarr Bah, Information Attaché, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
