Sunday July 9, 2017
Kabul (BNA) Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam, is considered as the biggest congregation of Islamic world. Millions of Muslims from around the world by breaking the walls of discrimination, nationality, language, geography and different policies enter Haramain Sharifain, begin the five –day Hajj pilgrimage and take part in a series of rituals with full humility and unity. Ministry of Hajj, the highest religious institution in the country, is responsible for managing and organizing hajj process. According to officials for ministry of hajj, Afghanistan government has provided lots of facilities for Afghan pilgrims this year and it is determined that 30,000 Afghan pilgrims will go to Saudi Arabia to perform hajj.
Deputy minister of hajj Daeeul Haq Abid said, “This 30,000 Afghan pilgrims will be dispatched to Saudi Arabia for hajj, while the number reached to 24,000 last year.” Related to hajj preparations, deputy minister of hajj said, “We’ve contracted with Ariana Afghan Airline to take the Afghan pilgrims to Saudi Arabia and other contracts for accommodation of Afghan pilgrims in Madina and Mecca have also been concluded”, adding that more than 600 religious ulamas have been tasked this year to instruct Afghan pilgrims during the hajj process.
In connection with passport and visas, deputy minister of hajj said, “The process of distribution of passport is to be soon completed and the issue of issuing visa will be soon started in near future”. Answering a question related to number of Afghan pilgrims for the current year, deputy minister of hajj said, “In previous years, it was lottery system, but this year the system changed to ‘Turn’ and we have 160,000 Afghans registered for the process this year, so we’ve organized only 30,000 for the process which include all provinces”. It is worth mentioning Afghanistan ministry of hajj and religious affairs is trying to provide better facilities for Afghan pilgrims in the country as well as in Saudi Arabia during the hajj performance.
Masouda Qarizada
