Holy pilgrimage or shopping jaunt?

This year the licensed Hajj operators in Sri Lanka were afforded a huge bonanza in the form of a last minute increase in the service charges, as a result of a restriction imposed by the Minister, allowing only a reduced quota of pilgrims to perform the Hajj Pilgrimage.

The earlier decision to accommodate 7000 pilgrims was reduced to 4000 on the insistence of the Saudi authorities.

For those who had already made preparations it was a dilemma as they were compelled to raise the additional funds required prior to the date of departure. Those who couldn’t had to abandon the idea or wait for their turn in 2007. Some regulations should be introduced by the Ministry of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs to those Muslims who make this pilgrimage annually, not with the sole intention (Imaan) of performing the Holy Hajj, but with the prime purpose of launching on a shopping spree.

This practice should be stopped.

By Mohammed Nalim, Colombo 9.