The first convoy of Crimean Muslims departed on Monday Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to perform Islamic pilgrimage, a leading Crimean news agency said.
32 Muslims from Crimea and Odessa, including eight women moved to Hajj from the Central Airport of Aqmescit (Simferopil), Crimean news agency QHA said.
"The rest of pilgrims to make a hajj plan to move to Saudi Arabia on 18 November," QHA quoted Mufti of Muslims of Crimea hajji Emirali effendi Abla is saying.
The hajj is packed with symbolism and ritual aimed at cleansing the soul of sin. Every able-bodied Muslim who can financially afford to must perform it at least once in his or her lifetime.
Let's remind that in 2009 the Ministry of Affairs of Hajj of Saudi Arabia allocated for Ukraine 500 places quota, having stipulated thus that if among the Ukrainian Muslims there will be more wishing to perform Hajj, it is necessary to notify about it the Ministry not later than September, and additional demands will be satisfied.
On June, 24, at the session of the Council of Muftis of Muslims of Ukraine the allocated quotas were distributed as follows: the Spiritual Centre of Muslim Communities of Ukraine (Donetsk) – 50 places, "Kiev Muftiyat" (Kiev) – 50 places, the SMMU "Ummah" (Kiev) – 100 quotas, the Spiritual Management of Muslims of Ukraine headed by Ahmad Tamim – 100 places and the SMMC (Crimea) – 200 places. At distribution the Council considered quantity of parishioners and quantity of the living Muslim population in these regions.
Around 3 million Muslims make the pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia most years, a journey all Muslims must carry out at least once in their lifetime.
Related Links:
Ukrainian Muslims Prepare for Ceremonies of Pilgrimage
Mechanisms for Hajj quotas will be discussed in Aqmescit
500 Muslims of Ukraine Received Quotas on Performance of Hajj
Ukrainian Pilgrims Back from Hajj with Memorable Prize
