Traveling to the Holy places…

Just a few days remained until the travelling of the Muslims for this year’s pilgrimage of Hajj, organized by Grand Mufti’s Office. In the process of finalization of the last preparations, we interviewed the person in charge of the organization of the campaign of Hajj 2017, the Deputy Grand Mufti Ahmet Hasanov.

Mr. Hasanov, since when Grand Mufti’s Office organizes the pilgrimage of Hajj?

Grand Mufti’s Office has been organizing the pilgrimage of Hajj for many years. As far as I know, there is a great increase. When there were no other agencies, more candidates for pilgrimage of Hajj traveled with Grand Mufti’s Office. You know that in Bulgaria there are several competing with us companies that also organize pilgrimage to the Holy places. They offer lower cost offers.  But everywhere we explain to our Hajj pilgrims that by travelling and performing their pilgrimage of Hajj with Grand Mufti’s Office they go on behalf of the Institution and in this way they support the Muslim Denomination in the Republic of Bulgaria. If the institution will exist, it will exist with the support of the Muslims.

But isn’t the amount of 3000 euro quite high? What does it include?

In general, it is not high, if we have a look at Europe. There you can go for Hajj for 4500 euro. Let us take Turkey as an example – the agencies there also organize pilgrimage of Hajj for more than 3000 euro. While for these 3000 euro here the candidate pilgrims receive flight tickets, hotel accommodation and meals. In this way the candidate pilgrims who travel with Grand Mufti’s Office in Bulgaria have the possibility to take more money for personal needs and gifts.

Would you please tell us about the campaign Hajj 2017 and the organization of the pilgrimage?

The campaign began months ago. We went around the regions in Bulgaria and held informational workshops where we provided information for the pilgrimage of Hajj. This year to the Bulgarian group which will travel for Hajj there will be also immigrants from Bulgaria who are living in Turkey. In the spring we visited also the Republic of Turkey, we went around some municipalities and by using the dissemination tools we reached the people and informed them about the Hajj 2017 campaign.

Which regions in Turkey did you visit?

We visited the regions where there are more immigrants from Bulgaria and we were explaining them about the organization of Hajj. We told them that it is not necessary to wait long years in order to go for Hajj with us, as it is in Turkey, and that they are not going to wait their turn and by lot to go for Hajj. We tried to disseminate the information about our campaign.

How many candidates for pilgrimage of Hajj Grand Mufti’s Office has this year?

This year with Grand Mufti’s Office to the Holy lands are going to travel 275 candidate pilgrims. 2/3 of them are from Turkey and 1/3 – from Bulgaria. Campaigns and face-to-face meetings are useful. If we look at the previous year, this year we have 30-35 more Hajj pilgrims. This is a step ahead.

When you are going to travel to the Holy lands?

In the morning of 21^st of August, at 8:00 o’clock all candidate pilgrims will be at the “Ataturk” airport in Istanbul. The future Hajj pilgrims from Bulgaria will travel a day earlier and the entire group of candidate Hajj pilgrims of Grand Mufti’s Office will gather in Turkey. When all gather the intention for Hajj will be made, the Muslims will dress their ihrams and will departure to the Holy lands.

From which region of Bulgaria is the biggest number of people who want to perform Hajj with Grand Mufti’s Office this year?
This year the region of Aytos is at first place with 25 Hajj pilgrims. In the same time the doctor and the nurse of the group are also from there.

Is it enough one doctor and a nurse for one group of Hajj pilgrims?

One doctor is not enough but we also use the medical services of the Directorate Religious Affairs in the Republic of Turkey.

Mr. Hasanov, another one campaign for pilgrimage of Hajj is at its end. Do you have anything to add in conclusion? How he Muslim community in Bulgaria to accept the pilgrimage of Hajj?

Muslims in Bulgaria have not reached the desired point of awareness and perception in terms of Hajj. As you know our people had passed though some stages in the history as a result of which the majority of them despite of having the ability, do not perform even their daily worshipping. Due to this reason they have not reached also the moment in which to wish to perform one of the five pillars of Islam – the pilgrimage of Hajj. Beside poor, there are also rich Muslims in Bulgaria. We as an institution see that wherever we go to speak about Islam in the correct and nice manner, people turn to religion. We hope that if we are closer to the topic of Hajj the community will not misunderstand us.