Two million to make pilgrimage to Mecca

Press, 29 July 1987, Page 51

Two million to make pilgrimage to Mecca

By

AHMED SHAWKI

NZPA-Reuter Cairo

By the planeload and the boatload, Muslims are flocking to Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage to Mecca amid strict security measures to protect the “doyouf Al-Rah-man” (Guests of God).

Saudi officials said about two million Muslims — 500,000 more than last year — were expected to visit Islam’s holiest shrines at Mecca and Medina during the pilgrimage, which reaches its climax early in August. Some pilgrims trek from as far away as Australia, but most come from relatively close Arab States or from the Indian sub-continent and Africa.

“Hajis,” as pilgrims are known, used to journey to Saudi Arabia on camelback or on foot.

Now they arrive on ocean liners and jumbo jets. Fleets of air-condi-tioned buses and limousines whisk them from arrival terminals to Mecca where the rich stay in five-star hotels and the poor in tent-cities. Shunning the luxuries, a retired Pakistani army major, Mohammed Abbas, aged 65, has walked 2200 km across the Arabian peninsula from Abu Dhabi to perform the Haj.

Performing at least one pilgrimage is one of five religious obligations for all Muslims. Others are having faith in God and his prophet Mohammed, praying five times a day, dawn-to-dusk fasting during the month of Rama-

dan, and giving alms.

The ritual starts with the “twaf,” in which white-robed pilgrims circle the Ka’aba in Mecca, Islam’s holiest shrine, seven times. The Ka’aba is a black stone encrusted with silver and gold in the courtyard of the city’s grand mosque. Hajis then walk about 3km between two hills near the Ka’aba known as Safa and Marwa; retracing a journey to fetch water by Hajar, the wife of Ibrahim, father of all Muslims, described in Islam’s holy book, the Koran.

The Haj reaches a climax each year a day before the feast of Eid-ul-Adha, when a sea of pilgrims assembles on the Plain of Arafa, near Mecca, where the Prophet made his last sermon. The Saudi Government, guardian of the two holy cities, has spent billions of dollars in recent decades to pave roads, ease traffic, ensure enough food and water for pilgrims and lay on medical services.

This year’s Haj is shaping up as follows, Reuter correspondents report: Iran, in spite of its war with Iraq, will send 155,000 pilgrims, the same number as last year.

Saudi authorities see the Iranians, who make up the largest single national group, as the main security threat and keep them under close watch.

They are usually housed in buildings which they have decorated with

portraits of the Iranian leader, the Ayatollah Khomeini.

They walk in groups and often stage pro-Kho-meini marches. The Iranian news agency, IRNA, reported from Teheran recently that Iran’s pilgrims would stage two big demonstrations this year.

One Saudi official said demonstrations threatening security and causing disorder would not be allowed.

Iraq, apparently mobilising its full potential for the war with Iran, allows only people over 50 years of age to go on the Haj on condition they have not done so for 10 years. Saudi officials said about 750,000 Saudis and foreign residents of the Kingdom were expected in Mecca this year. They get visas to enter the holy city only if they have not performed the pilgrimage for the last five years.

Egypt’s expected 80,000 pilgrims, the same number as last year, form one of the largest groups after the Iranians. About 40,000 are Gov-ernment-supported and the rest pay commercial rates, an Interior Ministry official said. Those subsidised by the Government, selected in a national lottery, get reduced air or sea tickets costing $lB5O to $2700 for the journey and accommodation in Saudi Arabia. Commercial rates are as high as $6200. Egypt, with scarce foreign currency

revenues, has allocated $252 million for pilgrimage expenses this year, a Central Bank Official said.

Abu Dhabi and Syria are both sending 15,000 pilgrims, according to officials of the two countries.

Some African countries with heavy foreign debts are sending fewer pilgrims while others are sending more. Nigeria, facing a sharp cut in foreign exchange earnings from oil, has allowed only 12,200 Muslims to perform the Haj this year, down from 70,000 last year. Tanzania, also with financial problems, is sending only 344 pilgrims compared with last year’s 550. But Ghana and Senegal are encouraging more to make the trip and are offering cut-price air tickets.

Turkey will double its representation this year to more than 80,000, as will Bangladesh, to 20,000. Pakistan is sending 69,000, up from last year’s 65,000, most of them older farmers, traders and retired workers. But a drive by President Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq to Islamise Pakistani society had encouraged young people to go as well. In strife-torn Lebanon, an economic crisis and soaring prices meant that only 4000 Muslims were going to Mecca this year against 6000 last year, officials in Beirut said.

Most were travelling by bus because the cost was about 40 per cent less than the air fare of $5OOO.