By Alhaji Abubakarr Bah, Information Attaché, Embassy of Sierra Leone, Saudi Arabia
A total of 2,626 Sierra Leonean Hajj pilgrims joined 1.7 million fellow Muslims on the plains and rocky hills of Arafat on Tuesday to perform Wuquf, the most significant pillar of the Hajj pilgrimage.
Despite the sweltering heat, the pilgrims devoted the day to intense prayer and supplication. Some remained inside their tents at Arafat, while others joined thousands of pilgrims from across the world on the slopes of Jabal Al-Rahmah (the Mountain of Mercy), where Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is believed to have delivered his Farewell Sermon over 1,400 years ago.
Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, H.E. Mohammed S. Barrie, and members of the Presidential Taskforce on Hajj visited the pilgrims in their tents to address them.
In his welcome address, Ambassador Barrie thanked Almighty Allah for enabling such a large contingent of 2,626 Sierra Leonean pilgrims to perform this year’s Hajj. He told the pilgrims: “You are not the wealthiest or the most educated to come for Hajj, but you are here for the 1447/2026 Hajj through Allah’s calling and favour. You are here because Allah has chosen you to answer that call to be at Arafat. You should be thankful and glorify Allah for making that happen.”
Ambassador Barrie expressed gratitude to His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio and Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh for their unwavering support to the Hajj process since 2018, which has ensured successive successful pilgrimages.
He urged the pilgrims to pray for the President and Vice President for Allah’s guidance and wisdom in leading the nation. “Leadership is not an easy task. It is like captaining a ship—sometimes the captain encounters storms and rough seas, but with faith he overcomes them and sails safely to shore,” he added.
Ambassador Barrie commended Alhaji Murtada Sesay, Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce on Hajj, and his team for their “fantastic work” in ensuring a successful pilgrimage this year.
In his remarks, Alhaji Murtada Sesay congratulated the pilgrims for reaching Arafat, noting that the Day of Arafah is the climax of Hajj. He praised Almighty Allah for granting him and his team a smooth operation and commended President Bio and Vice President Jalloh for their continuous support.
Alhaji Sesay advised the pilgrims to uphold the lessons of Hajj and serve as role models. “Having performed Hajj, you should be different in your conduct. Let your actions after Hajj reflect the discipline, patience, and piety you have shown here. Be good Muslims and ambassadors of Islam,” he urged.
He also apologised for any challenges encountered during the journey, especially in Mina, noting that Hajj is inherently demanding.
Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Alhaji Mohamed Haji-Kella, who introduced members of the Taskforce, described Alhaji Murtada Sesay’s appointment in 2018 as “one of the best decisions.”
He said the pilgrimage has been smooth and successful since the Taskforce took over Hajj administration in 2018.
Alhaji Haji-Kella also recalled the 2024 tragedy in Makkah involving Sierra Leoneans on fake Hajj visas, which prompted government action to improve coordination with Saudi authorities.
Speaking to this writer during a live Facebook stream, Ahmed Shaw, a Sierra Leonean-American pilgrim from Columbus, Ohio, commended President Bio for including diaspora pilgrims, saying the decision made the process easier.
Haja Zainab Kamara from the United Kingdom also described her Hajj experience as smooth and peaceful, praising the inclusion of diaspora pilgrims.
The pilgrims observed Dhuhr and Asr prayers in shortened form and spent the day in supplication until sunset before proceeding to Muzdalifah, where they performed Maghrib and Isha prayers and collected pebbles for the stoning ritual.
After Fajr on Wednesday, 10 Dhul-Hijjah (27 May), they returned to Mina and proceeded to Jamarat for the symbolic stoning of Jamarat Al-Aqabah, casting seven pebbles. They are expected to complete the remaining stoning rituals over the next two days before proceeding to Makkah.
A total of 1,707,301 pilgrims are performing this year’s Hajj in Makkah.
