The Indian government, outrageously contravening its Secular Constitution, spends huge sums of money to subsidize Muslim Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca as appeasement for Muslim votes...


 

Hajj: The fifth Pillar of Islam

Islam stands on five pillars, namely (1) Kalema or six sentences of oath to Islam, (2) Namaaj or prayer, five times a day, (3) Roja or fasting in the month of Ramadan, (4) Zakat or giving away a part of income (2.5%) for the sake of Jihad (i.e. for terrorist activities) and (5) Hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca.

The Islamic Hajj, i.e. pilgrimage to Mecca, is an obligation that every able-bodied Muslim, who can afford, is expected to perform at least once in life. This ritual demonstrates the solidarity of the Muslim people, and their submission to the Allah, the Islamic God. The Hajj occurs from the 8th to the 12th day of Dhul Hijjah, the 12th month of the Islamic lunar calendar.

It should be mentioned here that the Hajj ritual was considered ancient even in the times of Prophet Muhammad in the 7th century AD. Islamic scriptures say that it was practiced even in the days of Ibrahim (Abraham of Bible). In ancient times, tens of thousands of pagan pilgrims used to join processions, simultaneously converging on the ancient idol-temple of Kaaba in Mecca for the Hajj, and perform a series of rituals. Many believe that initially the Kaaba was a temple of Lord Shiva, Hajj was a Hindu practice, and later on included into Islam by Prophet Muhammad. In ancient tradition, the pilgrims would walk counter-clockwise seven times about the Kaaba, a process called Tawaf, kiss the Hazr-e-Aswad (the Black Stone), then run back and forth from the Zamzam Well near the Kabah back and forth between the hills of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah, then go to the plains of Mount Arafat to stand in vigil, then proceed to Muzdalifah to gather appropriate pebbles, which they would throw at three pillars in Mina to perform the ritual of the “Stoning the Devil”. The pilgrims would then shave their heads, perform an animal sacrifice, and celebrate the three day global festival of Eid-ul-Adha. Muslims continue to imitate the same.

Every male Muslim, proceeding toward Mecca to perform the Hajj, must clad himself with Ihram, namely two pieces of white cloth, one to wear and the other to cover the upper part of his body and thus he enters a state called Muhrim. A person in the state of Muhrim must not tie any knots or wear any stitched items except for a money belt if it is needed. He should allow the ankle and back of foot to be exposed. Furthermore, whilst in the state of Muhrim, a Muslim must also not use any scented things at all on himself or on clothes. For women, there is no clear prescription. Women's clothing, therefore, varies considerably and reflects regional as well as religious attitudes. In general, female pilgrims clothe themselves in long white robes, covering the body from head to foot and leaving the face exposed. The simple, white Ihram clothing is indeed a Hindu practice, which is still continuing as part of the Hajj pilgrimage.

Last year (i.e. 2009 AD), an estimated 2.5 million Muslims from around the world converged on Mecca in November for the Hajj pilgrimage, of which 160,491 from India. Indian pilgrims were the first to arrive, when the Hajj Terminal opened for the season on Oct. 20, according to the Consulate General of India, who coordinated the arrangements of 115,000 pilgrims coming through the Mumbai based Hajj Committee of India. The remaining 45,491 pilgrims came through private tour operators. About 500 buildings were hired to accommodate the pilgrims in the Mecca region; 70,000 pilgrims grouped ‘green’ stayed within one kilometer from the Holy Masjid-ul-Haram (i.e. Kabaa); 13,000 grouped ‘white’ between 1 and 1.6 km from it and 32,000 others in Aziziyah. The Indian mission set up a 50-bed hospital in Mecca. About 1,100 stayed in various accommodations (Ribats) set up by erstwhile princely states of India.

Hajj subsidy spending

In 2007, the Hajj subsidy paid by the Indian government was 5.95 billion rupees and Rs. 7 billion for 2008 (Rs. 45 = US$ 1). Since 1994, the roundtrip cost to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia has been fixed at Rs. 12,000 per pilgrim, and the government has footed the rest of the bill. In 2007, this difference came to Rs. 47,454 per passenger. The total Government spending for the 2009 Hajj subsidy is not yet clearly known. Many estimate that it could be as high as over 18 billion rupees (Rs. 1800 crore).

According to Hajj Committee CEO Mohammad Owais, the committee has been asked by the Ministry of External Affairs to collect Rs 12,000 from each person towards airfare. According to Owais, accepting financial assistance like subsidized airfare for Hajj pilgrimage is un-Islamic. He also believes that one should not be under any obligation while undertaking Hajj and the pilgrims should be allowed to travel by any airline of their choice. “We should be allowed to place bulk orders with the airline, which quotes the lowest price for a ticket. As of now, we are bound by the Government to travel by Air India only”, adds Mr Owais.

It should be pointed out here that considerable criticism has been leveled against this practice, both by Hindu organizations and by Muslim religious groups. However, after the filing of a Public Interest Litigation by B.N. Shukla and former BJP Rajya Sabha member Prafull Goradiyam, seeking an end to Hajj subsidies. The Supreme Court of India, although declared the practice unconstitutional, ruled that the subsidy may be continued.

History

The practice of providing subsidized airfare by the Government of India began as early as 1959, as a policy of appeasing Muslims, in contravention of the secular principle of the government. While commenting on it, Bipin Pal, in his article The Haj subsidy: A Himalayan shame, writes, “How absurd, if not sad, that India is the only country in the world that provides a subsidy to its second-biggest majority for pilgrimage to Mecca; in the pretext of her constitutional obligation (of secular) and later enacted as the Hajj Act, way back in 1959! Thanks to Janab Jawaharlal Nehru, who chose to give this gift to the second-biggest majority! Thanks to his stream of secular ideologists and India's urban English press that even after 27th May 1964 (after the Janab's demise), that they chose to remain silent on the Act that can surpass all the Constitutional provisions that can make a mockery of democratic republic India's secular image.”

In 1992, after the demolition of the disputed structure at Ayodhya, Mr P V Narasinha Rao, the then Prime Minister of India, to cool down aggrieved Muslims, increased both the Hajj quota and amount of subsidy. It may be mentioned here that the government does not provide any such subsidy to the Hindu pilgrims, who go to visit Kailash-mansarobas in China, or to Amarnath in Kashmir or Gangasagar in West Bengal. On the contrary, the government imposes direct and indirect pilgrimage taxes on them.

Dispute

“Regarding a trip to Mecca for performing Hajj pilgrimage, the Koran is very strict and says that those who perform Hajj have to do it only from their hard-earned money. Not only that, before setting off for the Hajj, he/she must repay his/her loans and return everything he/she might have taken as deposits from others. The question of accepting a subsidized trip is totally frowned upon pious Muslims. Particularly for the Indian pilgrims, the money for subsidizing the plane fare is Kafir's money! How can a true Muslim perform Hajj pilgrimage out of the dole or tax given by Kafir's comprising of Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians, Parsis and Atheists. Is it not Haram? Recently, Muslim ulemas could have understood the point and expressed their opinion that accepting subsidy for the Hajj pilgrimage is un-Islamic and unethical (haram)”, according to author G K Menon. It should be mentioned here that the Chennai-based Nawab of Arcot was the only Muslim, who was most vocal on this point and campaigned to stop the subsidy. But his pleas fell on deaf ears. The matter has also created confusion amongst Indian pilgrims. However, recently a group of Muslim MPs has requested the Central Government to discontinue the Hajj subsidy, and implement other means to ease the Hajj pilgrimage.

It has been suggested that a fund (Hajj Kitti) would be created and those, who are interested to perform the pilgrimage, would deposit money on monthly or yearly installments, and would withdraw the money during the journey. In fact, the present Government, led by the Indian National Congress, is considering such an alternative as the present practice is under severe criticism as an instrument of appeasing Muslims for votes by the certain parties. A case against the present UPA Government is also pending in the Allahabad High Court moved by a Hindu nationalist leader, because offering such a financial assistance to a religious group goes directly against the secular spirit of the Indian Constitution. Many believe that the present Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is determined to settle the issue within his tenure, which is going to end in 2014.

But there are indications that the dispute would continue. A spokesman of the National Hajj Committee has been reported to have said: “We are also citizens of this nation and, despite our hardships, we also pay tax to the government. We also contribute to the government exchequer. So, we have the right to enjoy government subsidies.”

But, as mentioned above, the matter is controversial even amongst Muslims. Meanwhile, K Rahman, the Vice Chairman of the Rajya Sabha has given a nod to an alternative arrangement as the Koran denounces accepting subsidy for the Hajj pilgrimage. Another influential Muslim leader, Shahid Siddiki, an MP of the Samajwadi Party, said, “Receiving Hajj subsidy is against the tenets of Islam,” adding that, except India, no other country in the world, even the Muslim countries, offer subsidy to Hajj pilgrims.

Demanding an end to the subsidy, Maulana Mehmood Madani, Rajya Sabha member and general secretary of the Jamiat-e-Ulema- e-Hind, says: “It is against the Shariat to be under any kind of obligation while undertaking Hajj. According to the Quran, only those Muslims, who can afford the expenses, should perform Hajj. It’s recommended only for adult, financially able and sane Muslims.” Others, like S Q R Ilyas, convener of the Babri Masjid Committee and a senior member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), says, “The Hajj subsidy a sop to gain political mileage.”

In a recent article, the renowned scholar Dr Babu Susheelan said, “Hajj subsidy is irrational, unwise and illegal. It is for appeasing Muslims. Why taxpayer money should be channeled for Muslim visit to Saudi Arabia? Every Muslims going for Hajj is required by Islam to behead an animal in the name of their desert deity Allah. Why should a secular government subsidizing Jihadis for animal slaughter? I understand that animal slaughter to please God is banned in India. Then, it is natural for the public to ask the question why subsidizing Islamic animal slaughter in the name of Allah? Visit to Mecca with government money is for advanced training on beheading. Advanced skill building will help Jihadis for beheading kafirs. It is a self-inflicted suicidal policy of the secular government.”

It should be pointed out here that, for a Muslim of India, Hajj pilgrimage is indeed an expensive affair, which only the wealthy Muslims can afford; it is unthinkable for the common and poor ones. So, proving aid to this rich and well-off section of Muslims is unethical, too. In other words, it is simply carrying coal to Newcastle. However, the Indian Government is doing that for the sake of Muslim votes. Apart from that, the government is spending huge money on Muslims and providing many other facilities to appease them, e.g. paying monthly salary to Imams of mosques, expanding madrassa education, providing quota for Government jobs, providing easy bank loans, scholarships for Muslim students, and so on and so forth. Still the government is failing to earn their loyalty.

In India, the appeasement of Muslims for the sake of vote-bank politics has reached such a point that Muslims can commit many crimes without being convicted, can break any law even in front of the law-enforcement authorities, can do any kind of violence on Hindus and the people of other community under the protection of the political parties. Not a single political party is above this mess. It has been mentioned above that BJP, known to be a Hindu nationalist party, is raising hue and cry that the present Congress Party-led Government is indulging in Muslim appeasement through the Hajj subsidy. Yet, when BJP was in power, it increased the Hajj quota and the subsidy. Moreover, previously the Hajj pilgrims had to move to Mumbai to board the planes for Jeddah. But the BJP government, spending several thousand crores of rupees, erected Hajj rest-houses in every metropolitan city and made it possible for the Hajj pilgrims to board the planes for Jeddah in their home towns.

We have seen above that, though most of the ulemas are against accepting government subsidy for the Hajj pilgrimage, yet Hajj pilgrims are happily to avail the subsidized journey to Mecca, and performing Hajj. While Muslim dignitaries are probably ashamed of disclosing the truth, a Muslim cleric, nonetheless, has conceded that a subsidized Hajj would be haraam, provided the subsidy was un-Islamic. The injunctions of the Quran are for Muslims; they do not apply to non-Muslims and others. Therefore, a Hajj, subsidized by the secular Government of India, can still be halaal, because the subsidy, offered by the kafir government, is simply a kind of spoils or mal-e-ganimat, which Almighty Allah has made legal (halaal) in the Quran for the Muslims.

To conclude, it may be said that, whatever may be arguments and counter arguments, the Hajj subsidy by the Indian Government would continue so long the politics of Muslim appeasement persists in India.

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