Families of very limited means spend many years saving to take part in Haj. Two important new initiatives from the Ministry of Haj this year go a long way to supporting these people. The ministry has significantly increased the scope of its low-cost Haj program for Saudi citizens and residents in Saudi Arabia. Last year 19,000 pilgrims were given generous support by the Kingdom. This year the figure will be in excess of 41,000.
In addition there is to be a renewed clampdown on fraud. Haj Minister Bandar Hajjar has announced a campaign that will use new systems to enable pilgrims to avoid the scams of unscrupulous operators, whose activities sully the reputation of the majority of honorable individuals involved in facilitating the Haj. In the past, it has all too often been the very poorest and least aware would-be pilgrims who have been duped and cheated by the unscrupulous operators.
The new low-cost Haj system has been strengthened by the use of the Internet to process applications. Half of the places in the special low-cost camps are going to be allocated on-line. The website sets out clearly the conditions that must be met to qualify; for instance Saudi citizens and residents who have been on Haj within the last five years are not eligible. The site also stipulates the services, such as air-conditioned tents and tourist buses, that successful applicants will receive. In addition, most importantly, the site gives the total cost of the different categories available.
It also offers applicants a choice of licensed domestic Haj operators and takes and processes bookings and payments. The arrangements are finally confirmed to successful applicants with an SMS message.
This is the first time that on-line Haj bookings have been taken. It is another clear step along the Kingdom’s commitment to ever wider e-government.
Nevertheless, there is concern that those most deserving to benefit from this generous program may not themselves have easy access to the Internet. This is probably however, to underestimate the increasing use of smartphones if not actual computers among the less well-off in the Kingdom. Moreover, just as local scribes once completed the paperwork for those with limited literacy, it can be expected that communities will find ways to help applicants with, these days, limited computer literacy, to access the website and fill in the online forms.
The Deputy Minister for Haj Affairs, Dr. Hussein ibn Nasir Al-Sharif has said the ministry’s program is designed to assist the greatest number of pilgrims. He has pointed out that the 41,000 figures could have been greater had it not been for limited accommodation in Mina. For this he has offered a deep apology.
The prevention of fraud is another crucially important part of this year’s preparations for the Haj season. The ministry has announced comprehensive plans for a campaign to make the largest number of would-be pilgrims aware of the snares and pitfalls involved in arranging their visit.
The program is warning people against unlicensed Haj companies. It sets out how the scams typically work. The take-home message of course is that before booking and paying a Haj firm, the pilgrim needs to be absolutely sure that the provider is officially approved and licensed. Relying on documentation provided by the company is not in itself sufficient. The cheats have become adept at providing bogus credentials. Only by checking with the Haj Ministry can a pilgrim be sure of the bona fides of a Haj company.
Besides this, using properly-established firms also gives the pilgrim the opportunity for comeback and compensation, should a licensed Haj firm fail to provide all the promised services and accommodation.
The ministry’s campaign is also highlighting the penalties for those who become involved in the sin of deceiving and defrauding the guests of Allah. It must be hoped that severe and very public action will be taken this year against fraudsters. Their wicked activities in connection with visits to the holy sites are a scandal that cannot be tolerated.
The fact that the Kingdom is always prepared to compensate victims of fraud is arguably a double-edged sword. While clearly the right thing to do, perhaps it does not encourage pilgrims to take the greatest care and diligence when making their arrangements. A crackdown on the criminals is going to impact hugely on the incidence of fraud.
The partnership agreement signed this week between Zain KSA and the National Haj Awareness Campaign will hopefully educate pilgrims about the pitfalls of fraud as well as wider aspects of Haj.
Low-cost Haj program
