Saudi Arabia has upgraded hajj operating system, there is need to upgrade our application software. Otherwise, we will continue to receive ‘incompatibility error’
“Ibrahim Muhammad”
There is an urgent need for National Hajj Commission to hasten its proposed Hajj saving scheme to provide a flexible pattern of payment for hajj seats for Nigeria pilgrims. The slow pace of the ongoing 2018 pilgrims registration’ and the deadline set by Saudi Arabia Ministry of Hajj should provides us an opportunity to review the current arrangement of ‘paying for hajj seats within one hajj calendar year.
Hajj savings scheme is basically a scheme for any Muslim citizen intending to perform Hajj by building up savings on monthly installment basis that may be required in future to meet his/her Hajj related expenses.
The current practice of selling hajj seats to pilgrims on yearly basis is no more feasible owing to some salient facts: In the last few years, Saudi Arabia has instituted many hajj policies that requires hajj participating countries to conclude hajj plans before the commencement of Ramadan.: Signing of memorandum of understanding with Saudi Ministry of Hajj, securing accommodations for pilgrims, catering services, signing of contractual obligations with Madina Adilah – whose responsibility is it to provide accommodation for pilgrims in Madina and other hajj services that requires financial commitment on the part of hajj participating countries.
For example, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of hajj calendar of events slated May as deadline for all 2018 hajj preparations which includes negotiating, signing of contracts, and making financial commitment to hajj service providers. Consequently, the national hajj commission set March as deadline for pilgrims’ registration thereby leaving only 6-7 month for intending pilgrims to pay N1.5 Million naira on the average.
However, it takes seven to eight years to accumulate enough saving for hajj especially in country where the economic indicator points downward. This is a paradox. This is one of the fundamental reasons why NAHCON must quickly see to the take off of hajj saving scheme in Nigeria
Evidently, 75-80% of Nigeria pilgrims are middle class and 80-90% of that numbers are famers. They lack financial muzzle to pay for hajj seat at a go as they will prefer having a system that will allow them to be paying for hajj in instalmental arrangement. Nigeria is among top 10 countries with highest number of pilgrims. Unlike Nigeria countries like, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Pakistan has an instalmental payment arrangement.
In Bangladesh, there is Hajj Finance Company Limited. It is a Shariah-based non-banking financial institution licensed by Bangladesh Bank under the Financial Institution Act 1993. It obtained its license on 6 September 2006 and commenced business on 2 July 2007.
Malaysia has Tabung Haji (the Pilgrims Management and Fund Board) — that was established in 1963 and managed Rp 180 trillion (US$13.52 billion) worth of assets in 2015. Recently, the chief executive officer of Lembaga Tabung Haji Datuk Seri Johan Abdullah said Tabung Haji would bear the subsidy of RM400 million for Malaysia pilgrim in 2018 hajj. That attests to their financial profile.
Indonesia has Haj Fund Management Agency (BPKH). It has pledged to match the performance of its Malaysian counterpart — Tabung Haji. The BPKH manages Rp 99.3 trillion in hajj funds, garnered from 3.4 million people who have paid deposits to go on the hajj. According to BPKH supervisory board chairman Yuslam Fauzi ”The agency is independent according to Law No. 34/2014, is expected to be more capable of managing the fund by selecting more profitable, yet sharia-compliant investment instruments. The agency aims to be the world’s largest haj fund manager within 10 years through diversified investment with an 8 to 10 percent annual return”.
It is instructive to note that some Indonesians have to wait for 37 years to perform Hajj due to the huge numbers of people that invest in the their hajj saving scheme. There are 3.2 million Indonesians on the Hajj waiting list every year. intending pilgrims are requires to register their names for Hajj in advance to be included on the government Hajj list with an average waiting time of 37 years.
In Pakistan, there is Al-Ameen Islamic Hajj Savings Plan (AIHSP) formerly known as UBL Hajj Savings Plan (UHSP), The Al-Ameen Islamic Hajj Savings Plan (AIHSP) gives investors the flexibility to accumulate savings for their Hajj, Ziarat, or Umrah needs. Investors have the option of saving according to their respective requirements by choosing a contribution frequency (i.e. monthly, quarterly, half yearly, or annual) that fits them best. The plan allows you to decide between a time frame of 1 year to 5 years (which is the recommended horizon) and based on that you would be required to make monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual payments as per your discretion.
The Hajj fund of India (a unit of Zakat foundation) of India allowed intending pilgrims to subscribe for hajj through little by little savings. It allowed Indian Muslims to open his or her Haj Account with HFI. Deposits can be made any time in this Haj Account in multiples of thousands. Like, 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, 5,000, India rupees etc … or more. Millions of India pilgrims pay their hajj seat through this hajj fund. HFI also encourages the Indian Muslims to start saving at younger age to be able to go on the pilgrimage when they turn adult.
In the interim, those who wish to perform hajj in 2019, 2010, or 2011 and 2012 should be asked to commence deposit with their respective states pilgrims’ welfare boards and agencies. Experts from financial institutions can be contracted to design a comprehensive framework for a start. It should be accompanied with comprehensive public enlightments.
Legally, Section 7 of the NAHCON establishment acts allow hajj commission to establish, supervise and regulate a system of Hajj savings scheme to be operated by the Pilgrims Welfare Boards of each state and the FCT for interested intending pilgrims. The slow pace of this year hajj registrations presents an opportunity for hajj stakeholders to quickly surmount any logistics or operational constraints to reconfigure the mode of payment of hajj seat and forego the current ‘pay as you go’ system of pilgrims’ registration.
Catholic Priest wakes up from coma after 17 months, converts to Islam
A catholic priest from the island of Java in Indonesia who has woken up from a 17 month long coma has converted himself to Islam after the man claims Allah spoke to him and showed him “the beauty of the heavens”.
The 87-year old priest from Spain has lived and preached on the island for more then 43 years and is fluent in Javanese and various dialects of the different ethnic groups of the island and is a well known and respected figure amongst all religious groups of the area.
The man who has suffered a cardiac arrest while helping local volunteers to fix the roof of his own church and fell an incredible two stories high has managed to survive and come out of his coma, in brittle shape, yet a changed man.
“I know nothing of Islam. Never once have I read the Quran but God spoke to me and asked me to follow him to the heavens and the Holy light shone through my entire being and behold the golden gates of heaven appeared before me and God told me his name and it was Allah” told the newly convert to a journalist of the Kalimantan Press.
The man who miraculously suffers no spinal injury should be able to walk soon, admits the physician who took care of him at South Jakarta’s Metropolitan Medical Centre. “This must be the strongest 80-year old I have ever seen. His bones should be smashed to pieces” ponders Jim Won May, who has practiced medicine for over twenty years.
His conversion to Islam took most of his church followers by surprise, but interestingly enough, already half of his Christian followers have showed interest in converting to Islam. “If Allah is the true God, I don’t want to be misled in the wrong direction on Judgment day. I trust Father Eduardo. We all believe in him” explains one of his followers.
The priest who is still under medical attention has already ordered the construction of a new mosque and his followers are already hard at work to find the funds necessary for the task. “We owe it to Father Eduardo for all he has done for us” comments one of the devotees of the old catholic church, that is now for sale.
World News Daily Reports
