MAKKAH: The dispute over what to do with profits accumulated by the Tawafa Organization for Iranian Pilgrims continues despite a majority decision by the organization’s general assembly that the amount should be divided among them.
Abdullah Alaeddine, president of the Coordination Committee of the Heads of Tawafa Organizations and chairman of the Tawafa Organization for Turkish, European, American and Australian Pilgrims, said he did not agree that the profits should be invested in business.
Alaeddine said he disagrees with the interpretation of a Ministry of Haj directive by the chairman of the Tawafa Organization for Iranian Pilgrims on how the profits should be utilized.
Members of the Tawafa Organization for Iranian Pilgrims are disputing how SR120 million, the profit the organization has accumulated over the past 39 years, should be spent.
Talal Qutub, chairman of the organization, decided to invest the sum in real estate, while the majority members of the organization’s general assembly called for the amount to be disbursed among them.
“I do not know the details of what the general assembly of the Tawafa Organization for Iranian Pilgrims discussed in their meeting. However, I know that there is a decree from the higher authorities about the disbursement of profits,” said Alaeddine.
Alaeddine, however, added that though he did not know the details of the decree, he is aware of the Haj Ministry’s recommendation that Tawafa organizations should take decisions on the utilization of profits with the agreement of all members and in concert with the ministry. He said the ministry’s recommendation should not be interpreted as an order to invest the money in real estate. “The government does not impose restrictions on citizens’ freedom of ownership or on their legal rights,” Alaeddine said.
He added that the organization should decide the mode of payment of accumulated profits with due consideration to the fact that the total sum includes cash earned before the Tawafa organization was established. He further called on the ministry to issue an official clarification to avoid future disputes among Tawafa members.
He, however, said he did not want to speak more on the topic because the Haj Ministry is the competent authority to comment on such matters and that the Haj minister, who is familiar with the content of the royal order on the matter, has the final decision on the use of the amount in question.
