I had the honor of performing
Hajj this year. I went with a private tour operator on a 40 days package. What I
observed during my stay at Mecca / Madina and during Hajj was very disappointing
and needs immediate attention through our print/electronic media to educate our
people on must basis to avoid this embarrassment in future.
Observations,
A. Mostly people arriving from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh were quite old
making it difficult for them to perform this exercise. I suggest there should be
an age limit for the people proceeding for Hajj, must go through a medical test,
and should be at least matric in educational qualification. How pity it is that
all these and other rules are followed strictly even for the job of a peon, but
for such an important assignment we ignore all these completely.
B. Our government and all the private tour operators must arrange programs to
educate the people going for Hajj specifically on civic sense. I attended one
session in D.H.A, conducted by Dr. Wahid Qureshi. It was well organized and
everything starting from how to wear Ahram up to all the manasaks of Hajj, and
how to perform them properly were explained in the best possible way. I am sure
all these topics are discussed wherever these sessions are conducted prior to
Hajj operation every year. But what I observed later in Saudi Arabia during Hajj
was that people arriving specifically from the subcontinent lack in civic sense
a lot as they are never briefed on this.
C. They don’t know how to use the toilets, would throw the trash freely all
around despite dust bins placed everywhere, they are highly impatient, most
indisciplined, would hate to stand in the queue and wait for their turn, would
rather force their way by pushing the people ahead of them to board the bus or
train.
D. They never followed any of the Instructions given through Electronic media,
bill boards, hoardings, slide shows, announcements on public address in almost
all commonly used languages etc. and at times even being told physically by the
authorities, regardless of the fact that all these things are against the basic
teachings of our religion and the spirit of such an important assignment they
have come for.
E. Even in our hometowns, we will never find any female coming in the mosque and
sit in the Men’s section for her prayer but instead of being more careful,
respectful and submissive, surprisingly female were seen occupying space freely
in the men’s sections at Haram Sharif and would not move despite being told by
the police till they have to force them out physically, leaving a very bad
impression on other nationalities watching all this daily.
F. Indiscipline of the highest order was seen at the Hajr-e-Aswad. They will go
out of their way and would do anything to kiss the Hajr-e-Aswad. This reminded
me about the scenes normally watched at our cinema houses, where people would
grab, pull and push the people ahead of them to reach the window for ticket at
any cost.
G. A state of the art train system was introduced for the first time for the
convenience of the Hajis to travel between Mina, Arafat and Muzdalfa. But
unfortunately, Instead of standing in queue and waiting for their turn to board
the train they started pushing hard at the people in front of them with full
force at the railway station. First they blocked the automatic doors of the
platform and then the doors of the train. Repeated announcements by the
authorities in almost all the commonly used languages were of no help. This
indiscipline flopped this system completely, caused such a long delays, that
from the platform it took us four hours and five minutes to board the train for
a journey of few minutes. Furthermore, by virtue of the resultant suffocation
caused, I saw two old aged Hajjis collapse and fell unconscious, but no
ambulance or any paramedics could approach them to administer the first aid as
people around them would not give an inch of space to anybody who so ever may
be. Allah knows what happened to these Hajis.
H. We must brief all our people going for Hajj on all these topics on must basis
along with the routine lecture on manasaks of Hajj as their all these actions
are against the basic teachings of our religion, “ Patience of the highest order
and says “ Safai Nisaf Iman He”. etc. Moreover, all such actions are inviting a
great embarrassment and disgrace for the Muslim Umma in general and for their
country in particular.
J. Having observed all these, it was very hard for me to make out as to whether
it was IBADAT KI INTEHA, AQEEDAT KI INTEHA, JAHALAT KI INTEHA, YA NAFARMANI KI
INTEHA. May Allah Bless Us All. Ameen
K. Even after having performed Hajj, no change was observed in their attitude as
they were all behaving exactly the same way at the Airport check in counters as
they were seen prior to or during Hajj.
L. The thing which made me all
the more upset was when most of them were seen using unfair means to carry
excess baggage and cans of AB-E-ZAM ZAM. Moreover, instead of being ashamed they
were proudly telling others also about what they have done and how they have
done.
M. This will be compitable with fairness, not to appreciate the efforts made by
the Saudi government to provide the best humanly possible services for the hajis.
The whole infrastructure was really commendable. The patience shown by their
security staff to handle the hajis specially belonging to the subcontinent
really needs a pat on their back.