9, 000 Muslims are expected to go for
holy pilgrimage in Mecca and Median come the next month in fulfillment of the
fifth pillar of Islam.
The announcement was made by Al-hajji
Juma Shiwuyo, the secretary for Hajj (pilgrimage to holy places). He said the pilgrimage
will last for a month, “We shall leave for Mecca and Medina on October 10 and
return on November 10,” he said.
To qualify for the trip, each Muslim
is expected to pay sh10m. The money is supposed to cater for accommodation,
travel and other expenses. Shiwuyo advised Muslims to attend Hajj lessons if
they are to have a fruitful journey. “It is useless to pay your money, yet you
are not going to follow the rules of
Hajj,” he advised.
Hajj occurs during the Dhul-Hajj, the
12th month on the Islamic calendar and all financially able Muslims are
required to perform it. During Hajj, rituals such as moving seven times around
the Muslim holy place, Kaaba, drinking water from Zamzam well, running between the hills of
Marwa and Al-safa, hitting the ‘devil’ with stones and slaughtering animals,
are performed by the pilgrims.