Saudi authorities have barred Dr. Ahmad Abubakar Mahmud Gumi from performing the Hajj pilgrimage for the year 2025 and deported him from the airport.
Dr. Ahmad Abubakar Gumi, one of Nigeria’s most prominent scholars and preachers, was prevented from performing the Hajj pilgrimage despite holding an official visa issued by the Saudi authorities and having already arrived in the Kingdom. The ban was imposed without any legitimate legal or religious justification.
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) had extended an official invitation to Dr. Gumi to join the team of muftis and religious advisors accompanying Nigerian pilgrims this year, in recognition of his extensive scholarly and preaching experience and to support the religious guidance of over 35,000 Nigerian pilgrims.
Upon his arrival in Medina, Dr. Gumi underwent the standard entry procedures, including document verification and fingerprinting. All initial checks confirmed that his record was clear of any security concerns. His name did not appear on any Saudi entry ban lists or blacklists. A thorough review of security databases was conducted by officials from the Nigerian Hajj Commission in coordination with a senior Saudi official, and the results confirmed that there were no legal or procedural grounds to deny him entry.
Despite this, Dr. Gumi was shocked to receive an arbitrary decision barring him from entry, without any official explanation. A senior Saudi official—informally—conveyed to him that “the Kingdom does not wish for his presence,” and offered a personal apology. However, no official statement or clarification was issued by the Saudi authorities.
Dr. Gumi was forced to leave Saudi Arabia at his own expense, despite the absence of a direct flight to Nigeria that day. He departed on a Turkish Airlines flight via Istanbul, where he spent five hours in transit before returning to his home country. Upon arrival, he was received by senior Nigerian government officials in a manner befitting his esteemed scholarly and religious stature.
The decision to bar Dr. Gumi appears to be linked to his political views and his public support for the Palestinian cause. He confirmed this in a statement, saying: “Because of certain reasons related to my views on global politics, the authorities in Saudi Arabia do not want me to attend Hajj, even though they issued me a visa.”
This ban constitutes a blatant violation of the rights of Muslims to perform the Hajj pilgrimage. Dr. Gumi, like all other Muslims, has the fundamental right to fulfill this religious obligation without restriction or obstruction based on his views or political positions.
The Saudi authorities must recognize that Hajj is a sacred Islamic obligation and a guaranteed right for every Muslim around the world. It is neither religiously nor legally permissible to deny any Muslim the right to perform Hajj simply for exercising their legitimate right to freedom of expression.
