Ankaboot
13-02-03, 02:00 AM
OF ILLEGAL HAJJ
BY SAMEEN TAHIR KHAN
ONE day, my Bangladeshi cleaning guy in Jeddah, Islamuddin (not his real name), told me that he was going to perform Hajj. I asked him how much was the muallim or Hajj agent had charged him. I was curious because the cost of performing Hajj has gone up in the last couple of years, since the Saudi government has enforced a stamping requirement, for which muallims or Hajj agents are charging SR300 per head.
“Oh, I’m paying SR100 only. There is a Saudi guy who has a van and permission to enter Makkah at all times, since he is an official vendor. For SR100, he will drop me in Makkah and then I’ll be on my own to perform Hajj.”
Islamuddin is not the only one to do so. There are thousands like him who perform Hajj in Saudi the Arabia this way. They cross over into Makkah, stay on the streets (if they are lucky, they find shade), use public toilets and buy food from the thousands of vendors.
On the contrary, the Saudi government has enforced strict regulations on people to get prior permission; go through a Hajj agent who has to provide proper accommodation, food and transportation to the Hajjis. They should also get meningitis shots. The average Hajj rate this year, within the Kingdom, is about SR1,400 per head.
There are many like Islam who make only SR300 per month. But Islam and many like him say, “We are too close to Makkah not to take advantage of performing Hajj, that is the dream of every Muslim. Why should I be stopped if I don’t havethe money? It should not be so expensive for those living here in Jeddah.”
There is only one main who travel without valid checkpoint between Jeddah and Makkah.. But during the Hajj season, smaller checkpoints also crop up. But it is not humanly possible to check every car and every pilgrim for correct papers. One pilgrim me that he was stopped last year, but he very confidently put his hand in his pocket and reached for his Iqama (residence permit on which Hajj permission is stamped), but the policeman did not check the papers and told him to proceed.
The bus drivers who take pilgrims to Makkah are also instructed to check papers and take only legal passengers, but very few follow these regulations.
Those who are caught sim ply retrace their steps a couple of hours later. Since last Hajj, the Saudi government has introduced a penalty of SR1,000 for those who travel without valid papers. Over 1,000 people were caught and fined, last year, but that was only a drop in the sea. Many more got away.
So why do pilgrims per- form a religious duty in such an illegal manner, especially when Islam forbids telling lies or cheating?
“I don’t feel like I’m doing anything wrong,” a pilgrim who had come on an Umrah visa last Ramadaan and but stayed on to perform Hajj said. “The government should let people come and go freely. Coming on a Hajj visa is expensive. My son lives here in Jeddah, it is much cheaper for me to do it with him. And if it is a sin, then may Allah forgive me on the Day of Judgment when all sins will be forgiven.”
Hajj is supposed to bring many rewards and blessings, and it does in more ways than one: agents makes millions of dollars in the five days of Hajj; a pilgrim achieves his life-long dream of standing in Arafat with millions, getting his prayers answered and his sins forgiven as he chants, Labaik, Allah Humma Labaik (I am here, Oh Lord, I am here).
BY SAMEEN TAHIR KHAN
ONE day, my Bangladeshi cleaning guy in Jeddah, Islamuddin (not his real name), told me that he was going to perform Hajj. I asked him how much was the muallim or Hajj agent had charged him. I was curious because the cost of performing Hajj has gone up in the last couple of years, since the Saudi government has enforced a stamping requirement, for which muallims or Hajj agents are charging SR300 per head.
“Oh, I’m paying SR100 only. There is a Saudi guy who has a van and permission to enter Makkah at all times, since he is an official vendor. For SR100, he will drop me in Makkah and then I’ll be on my own to perform Hajj.”
Islamuddin is not the only one to do so. There are thousands like him who perform Hajj in Saudi the Arabia this way. They cross over into Makkah, stay on the streets (if they are lucky, they find shade), use public toilets and buy food from the thousands of vendors.
On the contrary, the Saudi government has enforced strict regulations on people to get prior permission; go through a Hajj agent who has to provide proper accommodation, food and transportation to the Hajjis. They should also get meningitis shots. The average Hajj rate this year, within the Kingdom, is about SR1,400 per head.
There are many like Islam who make only SR300 per month. But Islam and many like him say, “We are too close to Makkah not to take advantage of performing Hajj, that is the dream of every Muslim. Why should I be stopped if I don’t havethe money? It should not be so expensive for those living here in Jeddah.”
There is only one main who travel without valid checkpoint between Jeddah and Makkah.. But during the Hajj season, smaller checkpoints also crop up. But it is not humanly possible to check every car and every pilgrim for correct papers. One pilgrim me that he was stopped last year, but he very confidently put his hand in his pocket and reached for his Iqama (residence permit on which Hajj permission is stamped), but the policeman did not check the papers and told him to proceed.
The bus drivers who take pilgrims to Makkah are also instructed to check papers and take only legal passengers, but very few follow these regulations.
Those who are caught sim ply retrace their steps a couple of hours later. Since last Hajj, the Saudi government has introduced a penalty of SR1,000 for those who travel without valid papers. Over 1,000 people were caught and fined, last year, but that was only a drop in the sea. Many more got away.
So why do pilgrims per- form a religious duty in such an illegal manner, especially when Islam forbids telling lies or cheating?
“I don’t feel like I’m doing anything wrong,” a pilgrim who had come on an Umrah visa last Ramadaan and but stayed on to perform Hajj said. “The government should let people come and go freely. Coming on a Hajj visa is expensive. My son lives here in Jeddah, it is much cheaper for me to do it with him. And if it is a sin, then may Allah forgive me on the Day of Judgment when all sins will be forgiven.”
Hajj is supposed to bring many rewards and blessings, and it does in more ways than one: agents makes millions of dollars in the five days of Hajj; a pilgrim achieves his life-long dream of standing in Arafat with millions, getting his prayers answered and his sins forgiven as he chants, Labaik, Allah Humma Labaik (I am here, Oh Lord, I am here).