Every year, millions of Muslims embark on the sacred journeys of Hajj and Umrah, but the physical and mental demands of the journey can be daunting.
Many pilgrims arrive unprepared for the spiritual journey in terms of maintaining their health and wellness during their stay in the Holy Land. Furthermore, the Hajj is an annual mass gathering that can rapidly lead to the spread of infectious diseases if the required precautions are not taken.
On this note, a new book that will guide pilgrims and enable them to achieve a wholesome Hajj and Umrah experience is set to be released on 9th February 2025 in Lagos, Nigeria. The book is titled HEALTHFUL HAJJ: A Wellness Guide to Hajj and Umrah. 
The author of the book, Dr. Mariam Vbamiunomhene Lawal revealed that the book is a comprehensive Hajj and Umrah manual that focuses on the health and wellness of the pilgrims before, during, and after the Holy pilgrimage in Islam.
Dr. Lawal, a pharmacist who has to her credit over two decades in practice in the hospital, academic, and research settings further explained that her book will offer pilgrims a simplified guide on the Hajj and Umrah rituals that will enable them to perform the pilgrimage with relative ease and minimal stress.
The special focus of the book on wholesome wellbeing for all categories of pilgrims is a timely contribution to knowledge on the subject of Hajj and Umrah exercises, especially since the era of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Mariam Lawal, a Sickle Cell Warrior, and previously published author of the inspirational piece, PHASES: Memoirs of a Sickle Cell Amazon said that her new book on Hajj is a huge boost to the confidence of persons with medical conditions and special needs who desire to perform Hajj as it offers them detailed guidance on how to navigate their way during the pilgrimage.
In writing the book, she shared her wealth of experience as a medical personnel member and one who previously performed Hajj in 2018 as an individual with special needs.
The well-researched book also extensively addresses the peculiar concerns of female pilgrims and seniors. 
The author recommends the book to all intending and upcoming Muslim pilgrims, bodies involved in Hajj and Umrah administration, planning, and execution such as the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Hajj and Umrah tour operators, and medical personnel engaged in Hajj operations.
The book promises to be a great resource for anybody who wishes to know more about Hajj and its performance as the fifth pillar of Islam.
HEALTHFUL HAJJ consists of sixteen chapters running into 174 pages. However, it has a total number of 216 pages, numbering from the preliminary pages which contain glossaries and other useful information for readers. 
The attractively designed book is presented and bound in hardcover format to maintain durability. The regular price of a copy is 6,000 Naira. The book is also available on Amazon as a paperback for persons in Diaspora.
The public presentation of the new book is scheduled for Sunday, February 9, 2025, at Buhari Hall, Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC), Oshodi (Off Charity Bustop), Lagos State.
Some of the expected dignitaries at the book launch include the former Chairman of NAHCON Barrister Zikrullah Hassan, Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu and the Maikarfi Magarin Nassarawa Eggwon, Alhaji Abdulah Isiaku.
The event is expected to be chaired by Prof. Ibrahim Oreagba, the Secretary- General of the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists (WAPCP).
