In a bid to prepare himself for the 2023 hajj rites, the lawmaker representing Ibadan North West/Southwest, Hon. Dhikirulahi Adedeji Stanley Olajide, Saturday morning, began ziyarah to some important places in Madinah.
Part of the places he visited was the Masjid Quba, regarded as the first mosque in Islam. He later performed the obligatory
Odidiomo, as the two-term Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, reps member is popularly known, had arrived Saudi Arabia through the King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in preparation for the 2023 hajj rites yesterday.
The Ibadan-born politician proceeded to Miqot where he changed to Ihram cloth before going to Makkah for the hajj rites.
Historically, Prophet Muhammad had spent 14 days in this mosque praying qaṣr (a short prayer) while waiting for Sayidina Ali to arrive in Medina, after the latter had stayed behind in Mecca to safeguard Muhammad’s life and escape, by sleeping in Muhammad’s bed in his place.
Performing Wuḍūʾ (‘Ablution’) in one’s home, then offering two optional prayers in the Quba Mosque, is considered to be equal to performing one lesser hajj.
Prophet Muhammad, it was reported, advised others to do the same, saying, “Whoever makes ablutions at home and then goes and prays in the Mosque of Quba, he will have a reward like that of an Umrah.”
The mosque was initially built 6 kilometres (3.7 miles) off Madinah in the village of Quba, before Madinah expanded to include this village.
