The first group of pilgrims
arrived during the week for
Haj 2008 at Jeddah’s King
Abdulaziz International
Airport. The Cape
Town-to-Jeddah flight via
Dubai brought in nearly 200
pilgrims, both men and
women, from South Africa.
The first to emerge in the
reception area after
completing immigration
formalities was 73-year-old
Abbas Jones.
“This will be my 30th Haj,”
he said excitedly to waiting
reporters. He was embraced
by Abdulwahid B. Saifaddin,
chairman of the
establishment of pilgrims
from non-Arab African
countries, and Mahdi
Basadien, South Africa’s
consul general in Jeddah.
“Every year I have seen
tremendous improvements in
Haj services. I want to take
this opportunity to thank
the Saudi government and our
pilgrim establishment for
their efforts in making our
journey comfortable,” Jones
said.
“It’s always a great feeling
to be in this holy land, and
it’s an equally great
feeling to be among the
first group of arrivals for
this Haj season.”
Cape Towner Farida Osman was
also in the group. “We are
so happy to be here. The
first leg of the journey was
very smooth. God has been
very kind to us,” she said.
While Osman was talking to
Arab News, her husband
joined in the discussion. “I
am 63,” said Mohammed Salig.
“This was the same age when
the Prophet Muhammad (peace
be upon him) performed Haj.
I can’t express my happiness
in being here. This journey
has been planned for an
entire lifetime,” Salig
said.
Saifaddin said all
arrangements were in place
for the pilgrims’ stay in
Makkah and Madinah.
He said his establishment
will take care of nearly
180,000 pilgrims this year.
“There is a marked increase
in the number of pilgrims
from non-Arab African
countries this year. Last
year we only handled 162,000
pilgrims,” he said.
Initial reports suggest
there will be no effect of
the global economic crisis
on Haj. “We have not seen
any impact for the moment.
One reason for that perhaps
is the advance preparation
that goes into Haj
arrangements. All these
pilgrims paid their money
far in advance, and their
accommodation arrangements
in the holy cities were
finalized maybe six months
ago. This economic crisis
started only recently,”
Saifaddin said.
Nigeria will be well
represented this year. “The
largest group (of non-Arab
Africans) is from Nigeria.
There will be 95,000
Nigerians this year,”
Saifaddin said. “The
smallest contingent will be
from Swaziland.”
Among the other countries
handled by Saifaddin’s
establishment are Cameroon,
Niger, Ethiopia, Kenya and
Mauritius.
Basadien said the South
African Consulate was ready
to assist the guests of God.
“We will have 5,000 pilgrims
from South Africa this
year,” he said. “We have an
official quota of 2,000, but
the Saudi authorities have
always been very generous in
granting whatever number we
request.”
The Haj quota is based upon
a nation’s Muslim
population. According to
previous estimates, South
Africa’s Muslim population
is less than a million, and
the number of pilgrims from
South Africa has actually
gone down.
“We used to have 7,500
pilgrims,” said the consul
general. “The number went
down to 5,000 last year. And
this year, too, we will have
the same number performing
Haj. One reason for the drop
in the numbers is the Saudi
rules and regulations that
bar people from performing
Haj in quick succession.”
According to Mohammed Amin
Hartly, a member of the
South African Haj Mission,
the fluctuation of currency
rates has made Haj a costly
proposition for South
African pilgrims. “On an
average the pilgrimage used
to cost SR8,000 earlier.
This year it will cost
around SR10,000,” Hartly
said.
The South African pilgrims
will stay in the Aziziyah
and Ruseifah areas. Somewhat
removed from the Holy
Mosque, the buildings are
new and complete with all
basic amenities.
Many of the buildings in
Makkah’s central district
that once used to house
South African pilgrims have
been demolished to make way
for better buildings either
in the planning stage or
under construction.
Source
With
much anticipation and some excitement, the Marriage
Workshop/lecture series started on Friday night.
individual,
one who is psychologically, spiritually healthy.
22 November 2008- 10am to 1pm at ECCQ House
Last
week a holidaying couple from Brisbane wound their way
around the ranges of New Zealand's South Island in
search of a Mosque for their Friday prayers and found
the only recorded one in the Island thriving in the town
of Dunedin, the Al-Huda Mosque.
Catch
Crescents
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