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sonz
12-21-2005, 10:32 AM
Despite increasing costs and a highly challenging trip, the number of Russian pilgrims have surged this year by 40 percent compared to last year to reach 13,000, most of them are from northern Caucasus.

"The number of Russian pilgrims for the 1426 Hijri year increases by 40 percent compared to the previous year and by 50 percent compared to the 1424 Hijri year," announced the Russian Iftaa Council (RIC).

"This year, we secured 13,000 Hajj visas for Russian Muslims," RIC media officer told IslamOnline.net, noting that Federal Russia, which Muslim population is at 23 million, should get 20,000 Hajj visas according to the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC)'s resolutions on Hajj quota for Muslim states or minorities.

OIC resolutions stipulate that the share of every country of Hajj visas is one percent of its Muslim population.

Spiritual Trip

For the third consecutive year, the majority of Federal Russian pilgrims come from northern Caucasus, most of them will flock to Makkah by land via Jordan without crossing Iraqi territories due to the deteriorating security situation there.

Despite high financial costs, many Russian pilgrims will travel by air to Saudi Arabia, the media officer added.

According to fares announced by Islamic travel agencies in Russia, Hajj by air will cost 55,000 Rubles (1,904 US dollars) per person, compared to the land trip which costs 39,500 Rubles (1,367 US dollars).

Hajj consists of several ceremonies, meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham and his family.

Every able-bodied adult Muslim who can financially afford the trip must perform hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, once in their lifetime.

The first batch of Russian pilgrims will travel to Jeddah on December 26, 2005, onboard Russian and Arab airlines, said the RIC, adding that land trips will commence on December 24 where return trips will start by mid January 2006.

No deaths were recorded among Russian pilgrims during the last five years, the Council said, noting that the Russian authorities have made it compulsory for the faithful to get vaccinated against diphtheria and meningitis this year.

A number of Russian Foreign Ministry's officials have been dispatched to the Russian Consulate in Jeddah by the beginning of this month to solve any problem that the Russian pilgrims may face in Saudi Arabia, the Council added.
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