American Muslims Prefer Winter Haj
Thursday, 21 December 2006
By Sahar Kassaimah
Thursday, 21 December 2006
By Sahar Kassaimah
WASHINGTON
THOUSANDS of American Muslims were encouraged this year to perform Haj, which falls for the first time in years during the winter holidays. “We have been waiting for such a good chance when we could perform Haj during our winter break,” Nevine Faisal, a California computer engineer, told reporters here recently.
“We didn’t need to get any day off from our work and it is easy for us to send our kids to their aunt in Florida because they will also start their winter break by next week,” continued the mother of two.
Leena Elwani, a Californian housewife and mother of three, was equally delighted that the annual Haj season fell this year during the winter holidays. “I am not working, but it is still easier for me to go to Haj in winter break because my husband cannot stay out of his work for three weeks, but now everyone will have a break, my husband and the kids,” she said. “He is a high school math teacher and his break is almost three weeks. We will return here on January 4, the same day our schools start.”
Most tours will begin leaving the US this week, returning in early January.
One of the five pillars of Islam, Haj consists of several rituals which are meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim) and his family.
Visiting Relatives
Many pilgrims, especially those who are planning to visit their home countries on their way to Saudi Arabia, have already been packing their bags. “We are leaving tomorrow because we will stop by in Egypt for four days on our way to Makkah,” said Faisal.
“We cannot pass by Egypt without visiting our families and relatives over there. As you know the trip from the US to Egypt is expensive. So getting four days there is a great chance for us,” she added.
Elwani will also visit her home country on her way to perform Haj.
“I will visit Lebanon on my way because I will leave my kids with their grandparents,” she said.
“We have no relatives here, in the US. I cannot leave the kids with my friends because it is a big responsibility to leave three young kids with them and everyone is busy with his life and children.”
Elwani also believes this will be a good chance for the kids to spend the winter break with their grandparents, especially because they could not go to Lebanon last summer.
“My mother and father are waiting for the kids and are so eager to see them.”
Ola Ali, another Egyptian-born mother of two, is also leaving tomorrow for Egypt on her way to Makkah. “It is a great idea to leave the kids with their grandparents, especially for people who have no relatives here,” she agrees.
“I feel so happy that I will perform Haj and at the same time my kids will stay with their grandparents.”
Ali, who goes to Egypt every summer, jokes that her kids will not miss her or their father while being with their grandparents. “They always visit their grandparents and they know how to enjoy their time there even without us. I know, they will not have time to miss us.”
“We believe it is important that all those taking part in this year’s Haj be aware of their legal and civil rights,” said Hooper.
Some Muslims have complained of facing some difficulties in getting their visas and as a result some trips have been canceled.
Saudi Arabia has asked American pilgrims to reserve apartments instead of five stars hotels, which has caused some difficulties and delays but the organizers were able to solve them. Unlike Haj trips from Arab countries, the journey from the US is a long and expensive trip. “It is an expensive and long trip just like any other trip from the States to our Arab countries,” said Faisal, asserting that the trip is worthy. “We pay the same thing to visit our parents back home, so why don’t we pay it to perform Haj?”
It takes about 18 hours from Los Angeles to Makkah and costs around $5,000 per person for five-star hotels in both Makkah and Madina.
Tour operators and Southern California Muslim leaders met recently with federal officials to help ease the trip for American Muslims.
Pilgrims and tour operators take large amounts of cash out of the United States, and many pilgrims wish to bring home several gallons of water from the well of Zamzam.
Shakeel Syed, executive director of the Islamic Shoura Council of Southern California, an association of about 70 mosques, said the discussion with US Customs and Border Protection officials in Los Angeles was very helpful.
“I was very concerned to make sure an unwarranted culture against Muslims was not being created in international air travel,” he said.
“There have always been difficulties” for Muslims traveling by air, he said. “During Haj, there are more.”
US Customs and Border Protection officials have held information meetings this year with various groups to explain international travel regulations and passport requirements.
“Given the increase in the number of complaints CAIR has received alleging airport profiling of American Muslims, we believe it is important that all those taking part in this year’s Haj be aware of their legal and civil rights,” said CAIR Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper.