Tag: Hajj

  • Bosnia-Herzegovina/Islam-Hajj: Bosnian Walks to Makkah for Hajj

    Bosnia-Herzegovina/Islam-Hajj: Bosnian Walks to Makkah for Hajj

    ISTANBUL, 24 Rabi al-Thani/17 March (IINA)-Fulfilling one of Islam’s main pillars, a Bosnian man has embarked on the life-time spiritual journey of hajj, preparing himself to cross thousands of miles on foot, The Muslim Village portal reported recently.

    “To be honest, before I started on this trip, everybody was frightened for me, asking how will I, as a Muslim, be able to travel though Christian countries like Serbia and Bulgaria,” 47-year-old Senad Hadzic said.

    Aspiring to perform hajj, which falls at the end of October, Hadzic first hit the road for his lengthy trip from his hometown in northern Bosnia on December 2011.

    The distance is about 3,600 miles from Bosnia to Makkah and he covers between 12 to 20 miles a day.

    In his back bag, he carries his copy of the holy Qur’an wrapped in plastic to protect it from weather elements.

    He also carries a bible, maps and flags of the six countries he plans to cross. Cutting 600 miles so far, the journey has not been without problems.

    In Istanbul for example, he was stuck for 20 days, trying to get permission to walk across the Bosphorus Bridge connecting Europe to Asia, which is open only to vehicles.

    At the end, he decided to resume his trip towards Makkah though the Syrian lands where he will wave a Syrian flag with the word “victory” written on it.

    “I’ll tell you, this trip has had millions of problems,” Hadzic says.

    “I’ll explain it to you like this: God willing, I’m going to enter Asia today, and then Syria. And I’m not afraid of a tank or a bullet, only God. And then when I get to Makkah I will say a prayer for all of us.”

    Millions of Muslims from around the world pour into Makkah every year to perform hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam.

    Hajj consists of several ceremonies, which are meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham and his family.

    Every able-bodied adult Muslim who can financially afford the trip must perform hajj at least once in a lifetime.

    Walking through different countries, Hadzic said he experienced the kindness of many people.

    “An old Turkish wise man appeared and when he saw that I came from Bosnia to Istanbul on two feet, he offered me the money to sit on an airplane and go directly to Makkah for the Hajj,” Hadzic said.

    “But I rejected this.”

    Traveling with very little money, Hadzic says he’s depended on the kindness of strangers for much of the lengthy road.

    “In Serbia, people came out on the street and gave me a hat, or some socks,” Hadzic says.

    “In one case, a professor in Serbia invited me to stay in his house. This Serbian professor, who was a Christian, told me that I was the first Muslim who had stepped in his house in his life. It was a great honor for me.”

    Hadzic claimed he must travel by foot because God told him to in a dream, seeing this journey as a benefit for himself and everyone he meets.

    “By this act, I am proving that everything I do is for the love of God,” Hadzic says.

    “For all the riches in the world, I would never stop what I am doing.”

    He’s not even half way there yet but Hadzic has already learned a lot.

    “The point, my friend, is learning the meaning of ‘thank you’. The poor people who live in the countryside love God and support me with generosity,” Hadzic says.

    “The rich people in the cities love their ATMs.”

    AH/IINA

    via Bosnia-Herzegovina/Islam-Hajj: Bosnian Walks to Makkah for Hajj.

  • Turkey Offers School Kids on Break Off-Season Hajj

    Turkey Offers School Kids on Break Off-Season Hajj

    Turkey’s Religious Affairs Presidency outlined plans for a 10-day trip to Saudi Arabia for school children during their semester break, drawing accusations from opposition politicians and teachers’ unions that it is trampling the country’s principle of secularism, Vatan reported.

    In a Jan. 5 note to provincial education directorates, the state’s religious watchdog proposed a trip for elementary- and high-school students covering five days each in Mecca and Medina, the Istanbul-based newspaper said. Muslims visit the cities for the religious pilgrimage of Hajj during the last month of the Islamic calendar or for a visit known as an umrah at any other time of the year. The presidency is offering packages ranging from 760 euros ($970) to 875 euros for students and teachers.

    The government is turning national education into religious education, said lawmaker Nur Serter, from the main opposition Republican People’s Party, according to Vatan. It also cited the chairmen of the Egitim-Is and Egitim-Sen unions as saying the government is seeking to shape society with religious tenets and remove science from education.

    To contact the reporter on this story: Emre Peker in Ankara at epeker2@bloomberg.net

    To contact the editor responsible for this story: Andrew J. Barden at barden@bloomberg.net

    via Turkey Offers School Kids on Break Off-Season Hajj, Vatan Says – Bloomberg.

  • Hajj 2010 – The Big Picture – Boston.com

    Hajj 2010 – The Big Picture – Boston.com

    Muslim pilgrims move around the Kaaba, inside the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
    Muslim pilgrims move around the Kaaba, inside the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

    Yesterday marked the start of the Hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Press Agency said that a record number of Muslims were expected to make the Hajj this year – over 3.4 million anticipated over the five days of the pilgrimage. One of the pillars of Islamic faith, the Hajj must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by any Muslim who has the ability to do so. Pilgrims perform a series of rituals including walking around the Kaaba, standing vigil on Mount Arafat and a ritual Stoning of the Devil. At the end of the Hajj, on November 16th, the three day festival of Eid al-Adha begins around the world. (34 photos total)

    via Hajj 2010 – The Big Picture – Boston.com.

  • Millions of Muslims gather in Mecca for the hajj

    Millions of Muslims gather in Mecca for the hajj

    An estimated 3 million Muslims who travelled to Mecca to perform the hajj pilgrimage have completed their journey and have become pilgrims.

    Tens of thousands of muslim pilgrims moving around the Kaaba, the black cube seen at center, inside the Grand Mosque, during the annual hajj in Mecca.
    Tens of thousands of muslim pilgrims moving around the Kaaba, the black cube seen at center, inside the Grand Mosque, during the annual hajj in Mecca.
    The hajj is one of Islam’s five obligations that every Muslim must fulfill, if possible, during his or her lifetime. According to Muslims, their journey to Mecca absolves them of their sins. On the eve of Eid al-Adha on Monday, pilgrims visited Mount Arafat for a day of prayer and reflection. Mount Arafat is in the desert approximately nine miles from Mecca where pilgrims spend the ninth day of Dhu al-Hijjah [in the Islamic calendar] as a rite of hajj. On this day, the pilgrims face Mecca and pray from noon to sundown. The Prophet Muhammad delivered his farewell sermon from Mount Arafat during his pilgrimage. In performing wuquf, pilgrims figuratively join those the Prophet addressed. Wuquf is believed to cleanse and purify the soul and mind in preparation for the pilgrims’ stay at Muzdalifah that night. After sunset, pilgrims moved to Muzdalifah, where they collected pebbles to be tossed at three stones representing Satan later in the hajj at Mina. Following the stoning, pilgrims sacrificed animals on the first day of Eid al-Adha, joining millions of other Muslims around the world. The pilgrims travelled by foot, public transport and private cars. This year saw the first phase of a train project intended to ease congestion on Saudi roadways. The Chinese-built elevated light rail began limited operations on Monday carrying pilgrims between Mina and Mount Arafat through Muzdalifah. This year it operated at about a third of its expected capacity.

    Nov. 13 Saturday

    With an agreement aiming to bring all of Iraq’s feuding political blocs into a new government led by Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki having been struck, the Turkish capital maintained dialogue with Iraqi leaders, encouraging them to stick to efforts to secure a consensus in a fragile environment. Iraqi lawmakers approved the agreement on Saturday, despite the fact that deep disagreements remain about the role to be played by the country’s minority Sunnis. The deal struck this week ended an eight-month impasse that had stalled the formation of a new government and threatened to reignite sectarian violence. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu held a telephone conversation with Maliki and congratulated him for the deal, diplomatic sources said.

    Nov. 14 Sunday

    İstanbul has been selected the European Capital of Sport in 2012, European Capital of Sport Association (ACES) President Gian Francesco Lupatelli announced in a press conference at the İstanbul Atatürk Airport. He was accompanied by Turkey’s chief EU negotiator Egemen Bağış and İstanbul Mayor Kadir Topbaş. Stating that officials from the association had carried out a number of inspections in İstanbul, Lupatelli said he was happy to announce İstanbul was selected.

    Turkish women took sixth place in the 2010 FIVB women’s World Volleyball Championship after Italy defeated Turkey in Sunday’s game for fifth place at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. Turkey had beaten Germany 3-2 on Saturday to fight for the fifth spot. Defending European champion Italy beat Turkey 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-21).

    Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called for a higher level of trade with Bangladesh, vowing to support the South Asian Muslim country in international platforms. “We will never leave Bangladesh alone,” Erdoğan told reporters in a joint press conference with his Bangladeshi counterpart, Sheikh Hasina, in the capital Dhaka during his two-day visit. This visit, the first Turkish prime ministerial visit in 21 years to the country, was to bolster growing trade relations and bilateral ties between the two countries. The two prime ministers held bilateral talks and meetings with delegations before the news conference, which Erdoğan defined as “very useful.”

    Interior Minister Beşir Atalay said political parties and the media stand as two major actors for cooperation in the fight against terrorism. “Cooperation among political parties has been a major key in counterterrorism efforts in countries where such problems have been settled. Another key is the media. … In the United Kingdom and Spain, no political parties used terrorism as an element of domestic politics. This [the fight against terrorism] is a national issue. It is not solely the issue of the ruling party,” the minister said during a live TV broadcast on Kanal 7.

    Week-long celebrations marking the 27th anniversary of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ (KKTC) declaration of independence, which began on Sunday in the northern part of the divided Mediterranean island, were overshadowed by the opposition parties’ decision not to attend the main celebration in protest of the government’s economic policies. Only Turgay Avcı, the leader of the opposition Freedom and Reform Party (ÖRP), was to attend a reception jointly hosted by President Derviş Eroğlu and Republican Assembly Speaker Hasan Bozer on Monday, while the other three opposition leaders announced that they would not attend the reception.

    Nov. 15 Monday

    President Abdullah Gül said Turkey had become a source of inspiration for countries in its region because of the pace of the strides it has been making in improving its democracy and economic strength. Gül issued a holiday greeting to all Muslims around the world as well as Turkish citizens on the occasion of the religious festival of Eid al-Adha, which started on Nov. 16. “The democratic developments in Turkey, its very lively cultural life and the pluralism in the country are all being followed with appreciation by all our neighbors both in the West and the East. Some even ask themselves why they cannot realize the same things,” he noted in his written statement, adding that Turkish citizens, however, may have difficulty noticing the changes as outsiders do because it is easier to see the change from the outside. “But, believe me, Turkey is going through a fundamental change,” he said.

    Turkey ranked 22nd on a list that assesses the frequency and intensity of incidents of terrorism, according to the Terrorism Risk Index (TRI) developed by Maplecroft, a company that assesses geopolitical risks for companies and investors. In only one year’s time, Turkey dropped from 14th place to 22nd. The TRI measures not only the risk of an attack but also the chances of mass casualties occurring. According to the list, Somalia is the country with the highest risk of terrorist attacks, ahead of Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan.

    A ceremony was held in İstanbul to commemorate those killed in a bombing of the Neve Shalom and Beth Israel synagogues on Nov. 15, 2003, with participants laying carnations for the victims in front of the Beth Israel Synagogue. The ceremony, which took place in front of Beth Israel at 10 a.m., was attended by Şişli Mayor Mustafa Sarıgül, Beyoğlu Mayor Ahmet Misbah Demircan and Deputy Chief Rabbi Rav Yeuda Adoni.

    Nov. 16 Tuesday

    The four-day-long Eid al-Adha festival began in Turkey and other Muslim countries. People sacrificed animals and distributed them to those in need. They also paid visits to their relatives and the elderly.

    Nov. 17 Wednesday

    CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and a party delegate accompanying him to attend a Socialist International meeting in Paris visited the graves of Kurdish singer Ahmet Kaya and Kurdish actor Yılmaz Güney in Paris.

    The United States said in a report it released that the Turkish Constitution provides for freedom of religion in the country but that some constitutional provisions regarding the integrity and existence of the secular state restrict these rights. The US State Department released its annual International Religious Freedom Report, where it hailed Turkish laws and policies that contribute to the generally free practice of religion, but said core institutions of the state, including the presidency, the armed forces, the judiciary and the state bureaucracy, have played the role of defending secularism throughout the country’s history. “In some cases, elements of the state have opposed activities of the elected government on the grounds that they threatened the secular state,” the report suggested.

    Nov. 18 Thursday

    The private Kanal D TV station apologized on behalf of one of its correspondents, who during a live broadcast told a mother whose 3-year-old son was missing that her child was found dead, a claim that later proved untrue. The TV station’s anchorman, Serdar Cebe, opened the main news bulletin by apologizing for the irresponsible attitude shown towards the already devastated mother, Emine Coşkun. Commentators strongly reacted against what they said was an act by Kanal D correspondent Özay Erad to “only boost ratings.”

    US State Department spokesman Phillip J. Crowley raised concerns about the Turkish government’s intimidation of mainstream media. Turkey was ranked among the 40 worst countries in terms of press freedoms, according to the report, placing the country 138th on a list of 178 countries in the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) annual World Press Freedom Index. This is a further drop of 16 places, down from last year’s 122nd ranking.

    Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit is scheduled to arrive in Turkey on Sunday for a two-day official visit, the Egyptian ministry’s spokesperson, Hossam Zaki, announced.

    Nov. 19 Friday

    Eleven kilograms of cannabis were seized in the car of a noncommissioned officer from the Mersin Provincial Gendarmerie Command in Hatay’s Belen district after midnight.

    Forty-four Turkish citizens, including 17 women, died during the annual hajj pilgrimage this year, a health official from the Mecca branch of the Turkish Directorate of Religious Affairs said. Reasons for the deaths included heart failure, respiratory problems, lung failure and traffic accidents. A further 31 Turkish pilgrims were injured and received treatment at Saudi hospitals and at the Turkish Diyanet Hospital in Mecca, said İlyas Serenli, head of the Directorate of Religious Affairs’ health team in Mecca.

    Mustafa Kuş, a ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) lawmaker from the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa, died on Thursday at the age of 62. The deputy was suffering from cancer, for which he had been undergoing medical treatment for the past three years.

    Turkish charity groups cheered up the less fortunate in Turkey and across the world through their charitable efforts during the Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice) holiday, which began on Tuesday and ended on Friday. The meat from the religious sacrifice was distributed to the poor during the holiday by several Turkish charity groups, including organizations such as Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There), the Humanitarian Aid Foundation (İHH), Deniz Feneri (Lighthouse) and the Cansuyu Solidarity and Charity Foundation. Aid groups also distributed clothing, money and other forms of assistance to those most in need in many of Turkey’s 81 provinces as well as across 120 nations around the world.