“Many expatriate groups have done a wonderful job during this Haj season by extending various services to pilgrims,” said K.A. Siddique Hassan, vice president of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, who came to perform Haj as a guest of the Muslim World League.
The leader hoped the Haj Ministry, Islamic Affairs Ministry, Civil Defense Department, Saudi Red Crescent Authority and other relevant departments would do the needful to organize volunteer services during the Haj season for the benefit of pilgrims.
More than 3,500 volunteers deployed by Indian cultural groups took part in this year’s Haj. They assisted in taking hundreds of sick and weak pilgrims to Jamrat on wheelchairs to perform the stoning ritual and guided stranded pilgrims to their respective tents.
“At present these expatriate groups are focusing on pilgrims from India. If properly organized these volunteers can be distributed to different parts of the holy sites to serve pilgrims of different nationalities who need help,” Hassan said.
Fuad bin Hashim Kawther Ali, general manager of Industrial City Dawah Office, agreed with Hassan’s proposal and disclosed his organization’s plan to expand its Haj services by deploying more volunteers to serve pilgrims of different nationalities.
“I like this idea very much because no government can take care of more than 3 million Hajis belonging to more than a hundred nationalities, especially during the peak days of the annual pilgrimage,” Ali said.
He thanked KRW, a volunteer group from Kerala with long-standing experience in Haj service, for extending a variety of services to pilgrims under the aegis of his organization. “I am really impressed by their services to the guests of God. May Allah reward them for this noble work,” he said.
KRW volunteers wore ICDO reflector jackets with writings, “Do you need help,” in four languages. “We can see the magnitude of work they have done,” he added.
Ali said different parties were involved in this year’s ICDO Haj program and he thanked Hidada Company for providing transport to its volunteers. “We are now planning to increase the number of sponsors to expand our services for pilgrims. We would like to approach Albaik next year to sponsor food.” He added: “We are keen to receive assistance and support from organizations such as the Civil Defense and Red Crescent for our volunteers. The number of Hajis is increasing year after year. Volunteer service is essential to provide pilgrims with a better and personal care.”
Speaking about future plans, Ali said: “We can supply volunteers in different areas of the holy sites with the support of different sponsors. Through the media, we would like to bring the attention of public and private agencies about our Haj services to get their cooperation and support. This way we can present a shining example of Islamic solidarity to other communities.”
Jamal Muhiyuddin Alwaye, a computer engineer, said he had got immense satisfaction by providing various services to the guests of God as a member of the KRW team. He hoped more expatriate workers would commit their free time during Haj holidays to serve the pilgrims.
Ismail Maritheri, an English professor of King Abdulaziz University, commended the volunteerism of various Indian organizations and said it was a good example for other expatriate groups to follow.
“A Pakistani pilgrim who had been taken to his tent by one of our volunteers remarked that ‘I pray to Allah that the expatriates from my part of the world may watch and learn from these groups in serving Allah’s guests.’”
Apart from KRW, the Haj Welfare Forum, a platform of nearly 20 organizations, Indian Fraternity Forum and Kerala Muslim Cultural Center (KMCC) had sent their volunteers.
