MOSCOW,
December 21, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – Despite increasing costs and a
highly challenging trip, the number of Russian pilgrims have surged
this year by 40 percent compared to last year to reach 13,000, most of
them are from northern Caucasus.
"The
number of Russian pilgrims for the 1426 Hijri year increases by 40
percent compared to the previous year and by 50 percent compared to
the 1424 Hijri year," announced the Russian Iftaa Council (RIC).
"This
year, we secured 13,000 Hajj visas for Russian Muslims," RIC
media officer told IslamOnline.net, noting that Federal Russia, which
Muslim population is at 23 million, should get 20,000 Hajj visas
according to the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC)'s
resolutions on Hajj quota for Muslim states or minorities.
OIC
resolutions stipulate that the share of every country of Hajj visas is
one percent of its Muslim population.
Spiritual
Trip
For
the third consecutive year, the majority of Federal Russian pilgrims
come from northern Caucasus, most of them will flock to Makkah by land
via Jordan without crossing Iraqi territories due to the deteriorating
security situation there.
Despite
high financial costs, many Russian pilgrims will travel by air to
Saudi Arabia, the media officer added.
According
to fares announced by Islamic travel agencies in Russia, Hajj by air
will cost 55,000 Rubles (1,904 US dollars) per person, compared to the
land trip which costs 39,500 Rubles (1,367 US dollars).
Hajj
consists of several ceremonies, 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, one of the five pillars of Islam, once in their
lifetime.
The
first batch of Russian pilgrims will travel to Jeddah on December 26,
2005, onboard Russian and Arab airlines, said the RIC, adding that
land trips will commence on December 24 where return trips will start
by mid January 2006.
No
deaths were recorded among Russian pilgrims during the last five
years, the Council said, noting that the Russian authorities have made
it compulsory for the faithful to get vaccinated against diphtheria
and meningitis this year.
A
number of Russian Foreign Ministry's officials have been dispatched to
the Russian Consulate in Jeddah by the beginning of this month to
solve any problem that the Russian pilgrims may face in Saudi Arabia,
the Council added.
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