Radio Islam International | 26 Dhul Qa’dah 1437/30 August 2016

After a two-year ban, Guinea’s Muslims will again take part in the Haj

Pilgrims jostle outside the Islamic Centre in Conakry. A stressed-looking official barks at them to queue in single file. Rain pours down the sides of a dilapidated portico. Hawkers hover, flogging plastic sandals and kola nuts.

These men and women have travelled to the capital from all corners of Guinea to apply for a “pilgrimage package” that will take them to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on the Haj in September. All able Muslims are supposed to perform Haj at least once in a lifetime. Guinea has been allotted 7,200 places this year by the Saudi authorities. Some pilgrims have been saving all their lives for this opportunity. Everyone is anxious that their papers are processed in time.

However, trying to organise a foreign trip for thousands of people—most of whom have never left the country—is no easy task. Complicating matters is pent-up demand. Pilgrims from Guinea were banned from taking part in the Haj for two years because of the Ebola virus, which killed more than 2,500 of their compatriots. Saudi Arabia only lifted the ban at the end of June, so officials have had little time to prepare.

“Some of those applying are not able to read or write and when they come to the centre they can’t manage the paperwork,” says Oumar Diallo, a local journalist. Many find that their passports are no longer valid and must be replaced with new biometric ones.

That has left the passport office in Conakry flooded by impatient applicants. They occupy every chair and every inch of floor space. The office cannot cope: people have been forced to spend up to a week in the waiting room before being seen.

This is but one of the many sacrifices demanded of the faithful. In a country where the average per capita income is $1.80 a day, it is not easy to raise $4,470 for the pilgrimage package (which includes flights, hotels, food, injections and visas). It is especially hard so soon after Ebola, which badly damaged so many people’s livelihoods. By one estimate, economic growth fell from 4.5% to 2.4% during the outbreak.

Mariama Conté says she has been planning to go on the Haj ever since she started her clothes business back in 1984. “I saved up enough money and was ready to leave the year that Ebola hit. That time was very bad. Often I was not selling anything, but I didn’t give up,” she says. “It is this year that God has called me to Mecca.”

Guinea sits near the bottom of the UN human development index, at 182nd out of 188. Corruption, poverty and disease are endemic, leaving religion the only source of hope for many. Battered yellow taxis with “God will provide” and “Allah is one” painted on their bumpers crawl through Conakry.

When asked about the pre-Haj chaos, the vice-minister of religious affairs, Karamo Diawara, said: “It has not been easy, but by the grace of God we are overcoming the difficulties.” It is a common refrain in Guinea. 

(The Economist)

39 Ghanaian Pilgrims sent home

Some 39 Ghanaian female Hajj pilgrims have been repatriated from the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Pilgrims Affairs Office of Ghana (PAOG) has confirmed.

Nine of them are said to be minors and 30 others were said to be inappropriately categorised as embarking on the pilgrimage without a guardian.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia requires of female pilgrims who are less than 40 years to embark on the pilgrimage with a male guardian preferably the father, brother or husband. 

The Communication Director of the Hajj Board, Mohammed Amin Lamptey tells Joy News the Saudi Ambassador to Ghana, Saeed Sinare is working with the Chairman of PAOG, Abdul Rauf Tanko Ibrahim and Immigration Officers to help rectify the situation as soon as possible. 

He said they are finding ways to forestall this development so those who are yet to be flown are not affected. 

Mr Lamptey said the Board is working hard to rectify the situation and also the Board will meet to take a decision on how to handle the affected pilgrims should they fail to make it this year. 

Some reports have speculated that the teenagers were being sent to Saudi Arabia to stay on and join the teeming number of illegal immigrants in that country. The Saudi authorities knowing this trick appear to have mounted a special lookout for such persons and are quick to return them.

The many Ghanaian Muslim illegal immigrants live undignified life in shanty areas of Mecca. They are usually hunted by Saudi immigration officials. They are unable to access hospital facilities fearing they could be arrested and deported for not possessing stay papers.

Don’t Accept Political Sponsorship For Hajj-Muslim Leaders Told

Muslims have been called upon to reject any sponsorship for hajj by politicians, an exercise he say is not done in good faith by the politicians but to score cheap popularity. This call was made by Sheikh Yusuf Yakub Ibrahim, a renowned Islamic scholar based in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis.

“We did not vote for them to sponsor us for Hajj, the mandate was rather given them to bring development to our various communities.” The Sheikh said.

Politicians have over the years been sponsoring Islamic scholars, chiefs, women, as well as Muslims from all walks of life to travel to Saudi Arabia for the observance of hajj. This has been going on within all the regimes, especially in the fourth republic of Ghana’s political history.

The sheikh made these observations in the phone-in segment of the socio-Islamic programme, Tawheed, hosted by this writer on Kyzz 89.7 fm in Takoradi where the topic for discussion was centred on the Hajj and its observance.

“The Hajj, being the fifth pillar of Islam, is obligatory only on people who can afford to do so, therefore whoever fails to observe it without any reasons would have Allah to contend with. However failure to go on the Hajj due to lack of financial abilities is not held as a sin by Allah. Why then do we have to expect politicians to pay for us when it is not obligatory on us due to our financial constraints?” Sheikh Yusuf queried.

Sheikh Yusuf, who is seen by many as a controversial scholar for his candid remarks on issues went on to remind Muslims of their priority which he says is educational infrastructure.

“We lack schools in our communities, especially second cycle institutions, yet we keep on pestering politicians to sponsor us for Hajj instead of looking for what will sustain us and our children. I wish these politicians will hear my call and desist from sponsoring us for the Hajj and channel those funds into our developmental agenda, which is the reason for their election into office.” He stressed.

Meanwhile some of the callers-in to the programme were of the view that the funding for hajj sponsorship is not from the government as being suggested by some people, according to them it was rather from the Saudi Arabian government which is channelled through the government of Ghana for distribution.

This claim was opposed by others who revealed that successive governments have been using the taxpayer’s money to do this for their parochial political interest. They contended that this phenomenon is not the preserve of one political party, since it was happening during the tenure of the NPP under president Kufour.

When asked whether a politically sponsored hajj lacks the reward and blessing that goes with the hajj, Sheikh Yusuf said that is only for Allah to determine

First group of Nigerien pilgrims leave for Saudi Arabia

Niger’s Interior and Religious Affairs Minister Bazoum Mohamed went to the airport to wish the pilgrims a good Hajj on behalf of the country’s highest authorities.

The first flight has eased anxiety among those planing to go to Saudi Arabia, especially over the recurrent problem of transportation.

Most of this year’s Hajj candidates had started despairing after their trips which were initially scheduled for Aug. 15 were postponed to Aug. 20, over what authorities termed as “technical reasons.”

Anxiety heightened after the two companies chosen by the Nigerien government to transport pilgrims to Saudi Arabia this year, namely Max Air of Nigeria and Saudi Arabia’s Flynas, faced serious problems at the last minute.

The Nigerian company, Max Air, did not get authorization to airlift passengers from Hamani Diori International Airport in Niamey, whereas the second company, Saudi Arabia’s Flynas which was supposed to transport about 6,000 pilgrims, complained of high taxes in Niamey and demanded an increase of 50,000 CFA Francs (85 U.S. dollars) on each air ticket, a source said.

Finally, it was agreed that the Saudi Arabian company would transport all the pilgrims. The company is expected to make 26 trips by Sept. 6, the date when Saudi Arabia will close its borders. Enditem

(News Ghana)

Nigeria: Hajj – Pilgrims Complain Over Reduced Allowance

Several pilgrims to this year’s Hajj have complained of reduction in their expected Basic Travel Allowances (BTA) issued by their state Pilgrims Welfare Boards, Daily Trust gathered.

Intending pilgrims from Katsina state, especially those who paid for first class seats expressed worry over the BTA issued to them. It was gathered that the pilgrims who were expecting about $1500 USD were paid $1000 Dollars only.

A pilgrim who pleaded anonymity said the states pilgrim welfare board paid him $1000 Dollars having paid a first class seat which attracts $1500 as BTA.

Another intending pilgrim from Plateau state accused officials of the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board of allegedly cutting his BTA by $250.

Daily Trust reports that pilgrims from Plateau state received a BTA of $750 after paying N1,035,000 for their hajj seats.

When contacted, the board’s Public Relations Officer Wada Haruna denounced the allegations as baseless.

He explained that the pilgrims from Plateau had paid for the lowest seat which cost about N1million adding that the remaining N35,000 covered expenses for local charges which include their uniforms, luggage as well as transportation in Saudi Arabia.

When contacted, the Executive Secretary of the Katsina state pilgrims welfare board, Abu Rimi said the issues arose from a recent circular issued to them from National Hajj commission and CBN that only $1000 Dollars is to be paid to all those who had earlier deposited for first class seat as against $1500 dollars

Fresh Turkish fruit and vegetables to serve the Hujaaj

Saudi Arabia will import about 120,000 tons of fruit and vegetables from Turkey to meet increased demand during the current Haj season.

The goods will be transferred by Turkish airline companies, said Sahim Al-Ghamdi, head of the fruit and vegetables committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He said 40,000 tons of tomatoes and 40 tons of citrus will be among the imports.

According to Al-Ghamdi, there is an increase in the import of fruit and vegetables from Turkey due to the variety of produce and competitive process.

Mustafa, a senior consultant at the agency for encouraging and supporting investment in Turkey, noted that they were keen to ease obstacles that investors face in any sector.

He said they seek to provide strategic food products in local and international markets to contribute to food security.

Saudi investors in this sector along with Gulf investors visited Antakya in May in an attempt to discuss opportunities and obstacles facing investors in the sector. The two sides mainly discussed shipment issues.

According to Al-Ghamdi, the imports of fruit and vegetables from Turkey increased by 30 percent this year after the signing of a number of agreements with Turkish companies.

The Antakya region produces 65 percent of Turkey’s fruit and vegetables, including hazelnuts, cherries, figs, olives, tomatoes, eggplants, apples, pears, cucumbers and others.

Turkish Airlines said it has the capacity to transfer 70 tons of produce on a daily basis on its scheduled passenger flights to the Kingdom.

(Arab News)