Radio Islam | 27 Dhul Qa’dah 1437/31 August 2016

Iran and Saudi Arabia: The Hajj Impasse continues

Iran says its pilgrims would not attend the annual Muslim haj pilgrimage, blaming regional rival Saudi Arabia for “sabotage” and failing to guarantee the safety of pilgrims.

Saudi Arabia, which oversees the pilgrimage to Mecca by more than two million Muslims from around the world, accused Iran of effectively depriving its citizens from the religious duty by refusing to sign a memorandum reached after talks with Iran’s Haj and Pilgrimage Organization.

Relations between the two Gulf powers plummeted after hundreds of Iranians died in a crush in last year’s haj and after Riyadh broke diplomatic ties when its Tehran embassy was stormed in January over the Saudi execution of a Shi’ite cleric.

The dispute has provided another arena for discord between the conservative Sunni Muslim monarchy of Saudi Arabia and the revolutionary Shi’ite republic of Iran, which back opposing sides in Syria and other conflicts across the region.

“Due to ongoing sabotage by the Saudi government, it is hereby announced that … Iran’s pilgrims have been denied the privilege to attend the haj this year, and responsibility for this rests with the government of Saudi Arabia,” Iran’s Haj and Pilgrimage Organization said in a statement carried by state media.

Saudi media earlier said an Iranian delegation had left the kingdom without an agreement over the haj, the second time the two countries have failed to reach a deal.

Saudi Arabia has blamed Iran for the impasse.

“Saudi Arabia does not prevent anyone from performing the religious duty,” Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said at a news conference with visiting British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond.

“Iran refused to sign the memorandum and was practically demanding the right to hold demonstrations and to have other advantages … that would create chaos during haj, which is not acceptable,” he added.

Iranian Culture Minister Ali Jannati said the issue of ensuring the safety of the pilgrims was paramount for Tehran following the death of hundreds of Iranian pilgrims last year.

“The Saudi government deliberately acted in a way to prevent Iranian pilgrims from … attending haj this year,” Jannati told Iran state television.

Months after the last haj, Saudi Arabia has still not published a report into the disaster, at which it said over 700 pilgrims were killed, the highest death toll at the annual pilgrimage since a crush in 1990.

Iran boycotted the haj for three years after 402 pilgrims, mostly Iranians, died in clashes with Saudi security forces at an anti-U.S. and anti-Israel rally in Mecca in 1987.

(Reporting by Ali Abdelaty in Cairo, writing by Sami Aboudi, Editing by Richard Balmforth)

Saudi Arabia to grant Haj visas to Iran expatriates

Saudi Arabia said it had no objection to issuing pilgrimage visas to Iranians living outside Iran through accredited tour operators.

Tehran decided not to allow Iranians to perform Haj this year following the failure of negotiations with Riyadh.

The decision meant that no Iranian would be traveling from Iran for the Haj, the fifth pillar of Islam that brings together around three million Muslims in Makkah in western Saudi Arabia.

However, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Haj and Umrah in Saudi Arabia said that his country was willing to issue visas to Iranians who apply from outside Iran, Saudi daily Al Watan reported on Monday.

The spokesperson said that several Iranian expatriates in Europe had applied through accredited tour operators for the pilgrimage visas

The visas will be issued through the operators as per the regulations, and two or three offices will be set up in Makkah to serve and assist the Iranian pilgrims who will be coming to the kingdom, the spokesperson added.

The spokesperson for the foreign affairs ministry, Osama Al Naqli, told the daily that pilgrimage visas were issued by the Haj and Umrah ministry, and not the foreign ministry.

Late in May, Iran said that it would not send would-be pilgrims this year to perform Haj, and Culture Minister Ali Jannati attributed the decision to “obstructions raised by Saudi Arabia.”

“We have waited for the response of Saudi officials, but given their behaviour in the two rounds of negotiations with an Iranian delegation and the obstructions they have created, Iranian pilgrims cannot perform the rituals this year,’ Jannati said. He did not elaborate on the nature of the “obstructions.”

Two rounds of negotiations had taken place between the two countries, but there has been no resolution, he said, adding that he was sorry Iranians will not be able to do Haj this year.

Saudi Arabia said that Iran would be responsible before God and in front of its own people if its citizens are not able to perform Haj this year.

The Iranian decision was announced two days after the delegation dispatched by Tehran to the Red Sea city of Jeddah to discuss the arrangements related to the Iranian pilgrims returned home without signing an accord with Saudi Arabia.

The failed talks were the second between the two sides ahead of the Haj season in September.

All countries that send pilgrims sign an agreement with Saudi authorities to coordinate the visas, travel and stay of their nationals during the religious event.

The Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah said in a statement that the members of an Iranian delegation who arrived in Jeddah to discuss the arrangements for the pilgrimage in September left Saudi Arabia without signing the necessary agreement.

The two sides reportedly held lengthy negotiations over the arrangements and issued statements afterwards described the talks as “positive”.

The formal signing of the final accord was scheduled for the next day.

However, the Iranian delegation did not show up for the signing and eventually left two days later without the formal accord that paves the way for Iranians to perform Haj.

The Saudi statement said that the two sides discussed all issues related to issuing the visas and the travel arrangements and that the ministry suggested solutions to all points raised by the Iranians.

The Saudi ministry said that it approved issuing Haj visas electronically from Iran since Saudi Arabia in January severed ties with Iran following attacks on its embassy in Tehran and its general consulate in the northern city of Mashhad and there were no diplomatic mission in the country.

Riyadh also agreed to allow Iran’s national airline to carry Iranian pilgrims into Saudi Arabia even though Iranian planes are not allowed to land in the kingdom.

The ministry also approved the Iranian request to be diplomatically represented through the Swiss embassy to look after the interests of Iranian pilgrims, the statement added.

“However, the Iranian delegation expressed its desire to leave for home without signing the minutes of the arrangements for the Iranian pilgrims,” the statement said.

“Accordingly, the Ministry of Haj and Umrah is confirming that the delegation of the Iranian Haj and Visit Organisation that refused to sign the minutes of the arrangements for Iranian pilgrims will be responsible before Allah Almighty and before its own people for the inability of the Iranian citizens to perform Haj this year.”

The ministry added that Saudi Arabia “categorically rejects the politicisation of the Haj rituals.

“The Ministry of Haj and Umrah is always ready to cooperate for serving the pilgrims and facilitating their arrival procedures”, the statement added.

Islam requires all physically fit and financially able Muslims to perform Haj at least once in their lifetime.

(Gulf News)

Iran may hire French lawyers in Hajj stampede case

Iran is going to use international lawyers in its efforts to sue Saudi Arabia over a mass crush that killed thousands of pilgrims during the Hajj last year, a diplomat has said.

Iran is not going to appear lax on the issue and will pursue the case legally in full force, Deputy Foreign Minister Hassan Qashqavi told the IRIB news agency August 24.

Head of Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization Said Owhadi said August 9 that a delegation from Iran’s Foreign Ministry was going to France as part of legal efforts to the case of the tragic stampede, noting Iran is using the French legal expertise to restore the rights of Hajj victims.

Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on August 4 that not only have the Iranian diplomatic representatives put forward the case in many international organizations, but the country is also in consultation with renowned local and foreign jurists to officially hold Saudi Arabia accountable for the tragic incident.

More than 460 Iranians were among the thousands of pilgrims who died in a stampede on September 24, 2015 in Mina, near Mecca, during the Hajj ritual. The incident marked the worst tragedy in the history of Hajj.

Saudi authorities have come under fire for their inability to ensure the safety of hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who converge on Mecca every year.

Hajj from Afghanistan

Hajj is one of the 5th pillars of Islam holy religion. For this purpose ever year, hundreds of thousands of Muslims from around the globe go to Saudi Arabia Macca and Madina holy cities and make Hajj pilgrimage and benefit its blessings.

All praise be to Allah The Almighty who has turned His Kaaba the manifestation of his pious servants’ worship and a base for the world Muslims unity and solidarity.

Allah accepts his sinful servants and invites them to his banquet.

In this world, one of the main and important wishes of a Muslim is to attend shrine of Baitullah and the holy grave of great prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and performance of Hajj pilgrimage. Muslims enthusiastically go to Macca and Madina and does his/her best to perform it properly.

Since Hajj pilgrimage is a physical and financial worship, sometimes, the pilgrims due to illness fail to perform it. Those who manage to achieve this great prosperity due to grace of Allah and achieve this big gift of Omnipotent should make thanks and be thankful.

 
Hajj creates great change in individual, social, economic, political and cultural life. It affects family, local and social environment. The servant should remain loyal and sincere and steadfast to his/her promise with his creator and be a sample of virtue and honestly in his society.

On dispatching of Hajj and facilities provided by the ministry of hajj and endowment, The Kabul Times reporter has made an exclusive interview with director of Relations and Public Information of the MoHE, Murtaza Hamed as following:

He said, in current year, over 24000 people are expected to go to Saudi Arabia. Facilities including transportation, food, accommodation medical services have been available to hajjis. 6 qualified doctors have been employed. A cultural committee has also been organized to provide awareness to hajjis. Classrooms have been available to teach Hajjis how to perform Hajj rites.
In current years we plan he added, to take hajjis by rail from Mona to Arafat and vice versa to Mona and their tents. Last year we had fortunately no casualties.

Answering another question about which airline is expected to airlift to Saudi Arabia, he said the Ariana Afghan Airlines (AAA) as a semi private, semi public airline would take them while other private airlines would only airlift those who go to Omra hajj. The MoHE shoulders no responsibility on airlifting of hajjis to Omra by private airlines. In ten days, all volunteers will be sent to Saudi Arabia.

The ticket price is less than $1000 that includes rural trip.

Alhaj Hesamuddin Hasham said fortunately this year all essential facilities including transportation, accommodation and living conditions have been available to our hajjis here and in Saudi Arabia. But unfortunately some people don’t observe social and ethical delicacies and create disturbance to others during flight, or in bus or in lift, that causes disorder. Some people dispute over slight issue with others and even insult each other which is against humanitarian and Islamic norms.

Whenever a person decides to make pilgrimage of Mecca and Medina, he/she should bring essential changes with his/her body, try not to disturb others, be careful in his social relations and make sincere approach with his colleagues. Each hajji represents his/ her country.

Tribunal to prosecute misbehaving Nigerian pilgrims

Sokoto state government has set a tribunal to prosecute any pilgrim found wanting at home and in the holy land.

Ibrahim Umar, director-general, Sokoto State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, disclosed this during an interview with NAN.

Umar said the agency would not compromise on the security, discipline, comfort and welfare of its pilgrims.

“The tribunal, headed by Tambari Yabo, a retired assistant inspector general of police, is composed of judges, security agents and officials of the agency,” he said.

“The tribunal has been empowered to summarily prosecute any erring official or pilgrim, with a view to protecting the good image of Nigeria.”

He said the state had concluded the transportation of its 4,750 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for the 2016 hajj.

The pilgrims, who departed in ten flights, were transported through the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport, Sokoto.

The last batch of 326 pilgrims from Bodinga local government, departed the airport around 1:45 pm on Tuesday aboard a Max Airline Boeing 747 aircraft.

“We had in all, conducted ten flights to the holy land and none of our intending pilgrims had faced any problem during the security and immigration screenings, either in Nigeria or Saudi Arabia,” he said.

“All our pilgrims are conducting their hajj rites without any hindrance in the Holy cities of Medina and Mecca.”

Umar said the agency had set up eight sub-committees to oversee the exercise and support state government’s delegation led by Salihu Maidaji, speaker of the state house of assembly.

He expressed happiness over the successful conclusion of the pilgrims’ airlift which began on August 10, and thanked Aminu Tambuwal, governor of the state, for the support.

Saudi to pay for 1,000 Palestinians to perform Hajj

Saudi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz issued a royal grant to 1,000 relatives of Palestinian martyrs to perform the Hajj this year, Quds Press reported.

The Saudi minister of endowment, who supervise the Hajj, said the Palestinians deserve “honour and respect” because of their “great sacrifices and fight to protect Jerusalem and Palestine.”

He noted that Palestine is an Arabic and Islamic state and this makes it necessary for Saudi Arabia to serve it and its people. “This is why the king ordered the grant for the relatives of Palestinian martyrs.”

More Ugandans go for Hajj

This year, there are more Ugandans doing the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, also known as Hajj.

It is understood that 760 faithful are travelling to Saudi Arabia, 10 more than those that did the religious trip last year.

The first batch flew out on Friday, before the second group followed suit on Sunday. The last batch leave Tuesday (today), destined for the holy city.

According to the Islamic calender, the approximate date for this year’s Hajj pilgrimage is September 11.

At the end of last week, Ugandan Muslims gathered at Wandegeya mosque in Kampala to say prayers during a send-off ceremony.

Prince Kassim Nakibinge cautioned pilgrims to be vigilant and to cross-check whatever they will be carrying along.