Abstract:
The word Hajj, linguistically, means heading to a place for the sake of visiting; in
Islamic terminology, it implies heading to Makkah to observe the rituals of
pilgrimage. Hajj is obligated by Allaah upon every Muslim, male and female, who
is physically and financially capable. It is obligatory only once during the lifetime
of a Muslim. Allaah Almighty Says (what means): “…And [due] to Allaah from
the people is a pilgrimage to the House – for whoever is able to find thereto a
way….”[Quran 3:97]. It was the practice in Sri Lanka that the department of
Muslim religious and Cultural affairs is making all arrangements for Hajj
pilgrimage including quota from Saudi Government and distribution it among
travel agencies. Thousands of Sri Lankan Muslims have performed hajj pilgrimage
this year and it was estimated that approximately 3 million Muslims were
performed Hajj this year from different parts of the world. The travel agencies
have collected about five hundred fifty thousand Sri Lankan rupees to six hundred
thousand rupees from every single person who travels to pilgrimage. Hajj
Pilgrims’ Association alleged that some travel agencies were charging more than
the maximum fee from the pilgrims on the pretext of providing more facilities.
This is illegal and the travel agents who charge more than Rs. 400,000 must get
prior written approval from the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural
affairs after submitting documentary proof of Facilities for hajj pilgrims. Muslims
of India are receiving some financial assistant for their Hajj pilgrimage from
Indian Government by Hajj subsidy. The program has its origins in British colonial
era. In post-colonial era, the Nehru government expanded the program in 1959
with the Hajj Act. The subsidy and taxpayer funded arrangements initially applied
to Muslim Indian pilgrims traveling for religious reasons to Saudi Arabia, Syria,
Iraq, Iran and Jordan. Since 1973, pilgrims applying through the Haj Committee of
India are offered a concessionary fare on Air India. Since 2000, over 1.5 million
Muslims have used the subsidy; since 2008, over 120,000 Indian Muslim every
year make use of the subsidy. My investigation on this matter has revealed that
every Hajj pilgrims of India are paid only one hundred and thirty thousand Indian
rupees (approximately three hundred and forty thousand Sri Lankan rupees) for
their Hajj pilgrimage. This paper will reveal this controversial issue into the light
comparing the practices and challenges of Hajj pilgrimage in Sri Lanka and India.
This is a pioneer study in this field.
