Performing hajj among Chinese pilgrims

This is why every Muslim has the ambition to perform this important act of ibada for it benefits and spiritual relevance. Apart from the fact that it is a religious obligation, hajj has also become an annual demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim ummah from across the globe.When I set out to perform this […]

This is why every Muslim has the ambition to perform this important act of ibada for it benefits and spiritual relevance. Apart from the fact that it is a religious obligation, hajj has also become an annual demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim ummah from across the globe.
When I set out to perform this year’s hajj, I put it at the back of my mind that I will be embarking a spiritual journey. Interestingly,   though I am a Nigerian, my journey to the holy land was not through the Nigerian Hajj Commission (NAHCON) as some of my compatriots. It was also not through the numerous independent hajj operators from Nigeria. Rather, my journey was through my current country of residence, that is the Republic of China.
A total of 11,800 Chinese pilgrims performed Hajj this year, according to Mustapha Young Jee Poo, Chief of the Chinese Hajj mission. This is against Nigeria’s 74,000.
This year, it was tougher compared to previous years (due the 20 per cent cut down by Saudi authorities as a result of construction at the Haram). However, it is by far easier from China than from Nigeria. Unlike in Nigeria, in China one pays his Hajj fees direct not through any government body or individual. The moment you are asked to go for the payment in the bank, that is confirmation of your Hajj Visa. A situation that is entirely different from my country Nigeria, where many pay ahead of time but will not be able to go (a case that mostly happen to people going through an agency, with few ones through the hajj commission).
As “free” is written on either Umra Visa or Hajj visa, in China it is really free. This is unlike the situation in Nigeria where some companies or individuals collect money to secure visas for intending pilgrims going on hajj or umrah.
It took me only 21days for the Hajj. I took off from Beijing airport (Peiking), then to Hong Kong, where I joined the Hajj flight to Jeddah. In the flight to Saudi Arabia, I happen to be the only black and the journey lasted 18 hours including three-hour transit at Hong Kong and two hours at the airport in Dubai. Immediately I arrived in Jeddah, it didn’t take me long for the clearance and subsequent documentation to be done with.
I then pulled out from my Chinese colleagues and requested to go to Madina instead of Makkah where they intend going. This is because the Chinese took their Ihram from the airport and had their intention when it was announced that we are at Yalamlam, the place where people coming from Asia put on their ihram. I had to pull out because my own plan was to take off from Zull-hulaifa after the doing my ziyarah (visitation to the Prophet’s Mmosque in Madina).
Although there was no bus shuttle from Jeddah to Madina, and in the package I paid, there was no flight schedule; I had to pay from my pocket. However, the interesting thing here is that whichever services is not rendered to you, at the end of the day you are sure to get the differences refunded.
I later reunited with my fellow Chinese pilgrims at Mina, on the first day of Hajj. The arrangement at Mina was very good. There was no congestion and the environment was friendly and very clean. The standard was maintained throughout the period of our stay there.
At a point I attempted joining my Nigerian counterparts, but on getting there I had to come back due to noise, dirt and congestion. The people were not behaving as pilgrims who left their homes to perform a religious rite. When I even complained of the way and manner things were arranged, someone argued that the government tried. I was later to find out that he was actually sponsored for the exercise by the government. I mean it was clear to everybody that the arrangement could have been better. My friend compared the difference as that which exists between Maitama in Abuja and Yankura Market in Kano.
Back in the midst of my Chinese co-travellers, a very good food was served at the right time. We moved from Mina to Arafat the following day which was the 9th of Zhulhajj, and we were placed at an area tagged South-East Asia. Here too things were well arranged. After sunset, we moved to Muzdalifa, there also the place was neat and people tried a lot to keep it neat. Wallahi I nearly cry when for the second time I tried to hook up with Nigerians at Muzdalifa. I saw a lot of dirt, poor arrangement of where people were to sleep. I saw charcoal next to people sleeping. Women (Tikari) shouting anyhow, kai Allah wadaran naka ya lalace. Very irritating; people were shouting and discussing unnecessary issues, deviating from the real practices expected of a pilgrim at Muzdalifa.
Throughout our stay in Mina, for those who left at two days and those who left on the third day, all enjoyed the well arranged activities.
Back in Makkah, our hotel is less than 300 meters from the Haram, very close to the bridge linking to Haram. Unlike many of the Nigerian pilgrims who spent a lot of money before getting to the mosque, we get to the haram within few minutes. Some have to miss some prayers in the Haram, due to distance, or else they have to stay in the Haram, going back to their accommodation only once.
At the end of my stay, I was transported back to Jeddah at the exact scheduled time (10hrs to my flight).
One of the things that remain in my memory is the fact that though China is far from Saudi Arabia, Chinese pilgrims pay less than their Nigerian counterparts, and the former enjoy better services than the latter. I spent half of what my friends from Nigeria paid, but still received an excellent treatment and services that were visibly better than theirs.
Chinese pilgrim officials were very fair and just to their pilgrims, the pilgrims also respected the officials, doing things according to laid down rules and procedures.
Pilgrims were airlifted at the stipulated timed to and fro, as well as refunded   money for the services not rendered. Both my accommodation at Madina and during my stay at Makkah were not far from Haram, unlike many of my fellow Nigerians.
Absolute silence by fellow pilgrims in the team  I traveled with gave all of us the opportunity to observe a lot of the Hajj rites the way it was stated according to the Sharia.
I will like to use this opportunity to call on the Nigeria government to please make some changes to improve the welfare of the pilgrims. They should also checkmate the Hajj officials both at the national and state levels for justice and equity. Someone from one of the northern states told me that he paid N1million for a seat that was originally less than N700,000. Another told me that despite the scarcity of the seats few days to the closure of Visa ten seats were brought out for sale. Government should try and make good arrangement throughout the hajj operation, get accommodation for all the pilgrims in places that are close to the Haram.
The activities of agents partaking in Hajj operations should be checkmated. I see no reason why one will pay for Hajj or Umra visa while Saudi authorities were giving it free.
One question I had to repeatedly answer from my Chinese co-pilgrims was “why were my people begging on the streets of Makkah, with some claiming to be cripple whle they are not?” It is one question I did not answer, and it was not because I did not know the answer.
Tingilin wrote from from Tianjin, China.