Pastor sparks reactions after sending his muslim spouse and their son to Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj is

Relationships

By Linda Ikeji
10 November 2026, 11:18 am

A Nigerian clergyman, Emmanuel Simon of The Blessed Embassy, has sparked a debate on-line after saying that he escorted his Muslim spouse, Jamal, and their child to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, forward of their journey to Saudi Arabia for the lesser Hajj, popularly referred to as Umrah.

A Nigerian clergyman, Pastor Emmanuel Simon of The Blessed Embassy, has sparked a debate on-line after saying that he escorted his Muslim spouse, Jamal, and their child to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja forward of their holy pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

In a Facebook publish, Simon brazenly acknowledged that his interfaith marriage and assist for his spouse’s lesser Hajj (Umrah) would appeal to heavy criticism from each spiritual divides.

“Just escorted mummy Jamal (my wife and baby) to Abuja international airport they are traveling to Saudi for Umrah,” Simon wrote, alongside photographs of his household on the terminal.

Anticipating a social media backlash, the cleric jokingly challenged critics to throw stones, reinforcing his perception that an individual’s character and deeds matter greater than spiritual affiliations.

The viral publish generated reactions on-line. While many commentators celebrated Simon for exhibiting spiritual tolerance, love, and mutual respect, critics strongly disagreed with the association. Several Muslim netizens argued that the wedding violates Islamic legal guidelines, mentioning that whereas Islam permits a Muslim man to marry a Christian lady, it strictly forbids a Muslim lady from marrying a non-Muslim man.

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