Category: Religion Watch (ISLAM)

1447AH/2026 Eid Al-Adha’s Sermon (Khutbah)! By Imam Murtadha Gusau

Emporium Reporters

Dhul-Hijjah 10, 1447AH (Wednesday, May 27, 2026).   In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy   Praise be to Allah, the Most High, the Most Great, the Exalted, the Supreme, for whom honour is a garment and majesty is a robe. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger. May Allah exalt and send peace to him, his family, and his companions abundantly, ameen Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum. To proceed:…

Friday Sermon: The Day Of Arafah – Most Blessed Day Of The Year! By Imam Murtadha Gusau

Lukman Laleye Babalola

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful All praise is due to Allah, Who gives preference for certain days and months as He wishes, blessing them with virtues as He wills. This is one of the manifestations of His mercy, to be a reminder for those who contemplate. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, the Almighty, the All-Forgiving, alone without any partner. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, the Chosen and the Beloved Prophet.…

Court Adjourns UI–ISI Hijab Appeal Hearing to May 21

Lukman Laleye Babalola
University College Hospital UCH Ibadan

The Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan has adjourned the hearing of the substantive appeals in the ongoing UI–ISI hijab case to Thursday, May 21, 2026. The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by Amb. Mallam Ibrahim Agunbiade, General Secretary of the Oyo State chapter of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC). Agunbiade explained that the substantive hearing could not proceed due to multiple pending applications before the appellate court in the various appeal files. He noted that the court heard arguments on all pending applications except the…

What To Do In The First 10 Days Of Dhul-Hijjah! By Imam Murtadha Gusau

Emporium Reporters

In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May the peace, blessings and salutations of Allah be upon our noble Messenger, Muhammad, and upon his family, his Companions and his true followers. Dear brothers and sisters! Narrated Ibn Abbas (RA), The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: “No good deeds done on other days are superior to those done on these (first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah).” Then some companions of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him)…

Okiro Builds Mosque at Police Secondary School Minna, Earns Emir’s Honour

Lukman Laleye Babalola

Former Inspector-General of Police and ex-Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Mike Mbama Okiro, has been commended for promoting religious harmony and national unity following the construction of a mosque at Police Secondary School, Minna, in Niger State. The commendation was contained in a statement by Amb. Prince Sixtus Opara, Media Aide to Chief Mike Okiro, who described the project as a symbol of tolerance, inclusion, and peaceful coexistence in a diverse society like Nigeria. Chief Okiro, a Christian from Southern Nigeria, was said to have funded and completed the…

Friday Sermon: Welcoming The Best Days Of The Year, The First Ten Days of Dhul-Hijjah! By Imam Murtadha Gusau

Emporium Reporters

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful   All praise is due to Allah, Who gives preference for certain days and months as He wishes, blessing them with virtues as He wills. This is one of the manifestations of His mercy, to be a reminder for those who contemplate. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, the Almighty, the All-Forgiving, alone without any partner. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, the Chosen and the Beloved…

NAHCON Mourns as Adamawa Pilgrim Dies in Saudi Arabia During 2026 Hajj Exercise

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has expressed deep sorrow over the death of a Nigerian pilgrim, Mallama Aishatu Muhammadu, from Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa State, who died in Saudi Arabia during the 2026 Hajj exercise. Mallama Aishatu, aged 73, reportedly suffered a fatal cardiac arrest on Friday, 9 May 2026, while travelling from Jeddah to the holy city of Madinah. In a condolence message issued by the Commission, the Chairman of NAHCON, Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf, conveyed the sympathy of the Federal Government to the deceased’s…

Airlift with Intent- NAHCON’s Early Signals of Reform By Abdullahi O Haruna Haruspice

Emporium Reporters

In the often turbulent theatre of Nigeria’s public administration, reform rarely arrives quietly. Yet the unfolding developments at the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria suggest a departure from the familiar script of delay and disorder. What is emerging is not spectacle, but something more consequential: method. On May 3rd, 2026, the 2026 Hajj airlift was formally flagged off at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, with an explicit commitment to safety, coordination, and pilgrim welfare. UMZA flight UMZ3501 departed Abuja at 17:03hrs with 473 Kogi pilgrims (296 men, 177 women), setting…

Friday Sermon: Leave Tribalism, It’s Rotten And Smelly! By Imam Murtadha Gusau

Emporium Reporters

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful   All praise belongs to Allah, the Clear Truth, who establishes the truth and nullifies falsehood, even if the criminals dislike it. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. May Allah send abundant peace and blessings upon him. To proceed:   Dear brothers and sisters! Know that, our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) strongly condemned tribalism and…

NAHCON Engages Ulama on Pilgrims’ Education, Spiritual Preparedness Ahead of 2026 Hajj

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening pilgrims’ education and spiritual preparedness ahead of the 2026 Hajj exercise. According to a statement issued by Fatima Sanda Usara of the Information and Publications Division, NAHCON, the Chairman of the Commission, Ambassador Ismail Yusuf Abba, made this known on Wednesday, 22nd April 2026, during a strategic engagement and inauguration of the 2026 Hajj Ulama Team held at the Conference Hall, Hajj House, Abuja. The meeting brought together about 120 prominent Islamic scholars from across the country,…