Quota for Azerbaijani pilgrims to perform Hajj announced

This year's quota for Azerbaijani pilgrims, who plan to perform the Hajj  in Saudi Arabia, is set at 2,500 people, Deputy Head of the Caucasus Muslims Office (CMO) Haji Salman Musayev said.

"Places allocated for travels on airplanes are already filled and the remaining places for travels on buses are being booked at fast pace," Musayev said.

"The Azerbaijani pilgrims will be able to leave for Saudi Arabia as soon as technical procedures complete."

Referring to complaints of pilgrims that become more frequent in recent years, Musayev said it is impossible to satisfy the requirements of every pilgrim  given the huge flow of pilgrims to the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

"The problem is that not everyone understands that they are going to perform pilgrimage. Hajj requires suffering, but not all are willing to live up with it. For example, the pilgrims have to travel a certain distance on foot, as the bus can not get to these places, or there may be delays in provision of the bus," he said.

The month of pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia will start on the third decade of November. One of the innovations of Hajj pilgrimage this year will be the launch of a monorail railway linking the holy sites in Mecca, Mina, near Mount Arafat and Muzdalifa. About 1.7 million pilgrims are expected to visit Mecca to perform the Hajj in 2010. According to the Saudi media, 2.6 million pilgrims, who performed small Hajj - Umra, visited the holy places over the last six months.


/Trend/