Remzi Bircan, Director General of Hajj and Umrah Services of the Presidency of Religious Affairs, stated that Saudi Arabia will impose a fine of 10,000 riyals, equivalent to 85,000 Turkish liras, on those who try to perform Hajj ‘illegally’ with visas other than Hajj visas. Bircan said, “In this framework, as Turkey, we will cooperate with the Saudi authorities and take all kinds of measures against those who try to perform Hajj illegally.
Bircan told AA correspondent that the Saudi Arabian authorities have given each Muslim country a quota of one in a thousand for Hajj, which corresponds to around 85 thousand for Turkey.
Bircan reminded that Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced in a circular that pilgrimage cannot be performed with travel and commercial visas and said, “However, despite this, some people exploit the pure and good intentions of our citizens and promise that they will take them on pilgrimage and take them to Arafat. It should be known that it is possible to go to Mecca outside the pilgrimage season with a travel or worker visa. However, it should be noted that such visas cannot be used for Hajj worship.”
“THOSE ARRIVING OUTSIDE THE HAJJ VISA ARE DISRUPTING THE PLANS MADE”
Emphasizing that Arafat, Mina, Muzdalifah and tawaf areas where Hajj worship is performed are limited and receive a limited number of people, Bircan said, “Serious planning and capacity-oriented studies are carried out by the Saudi authorities for registered pilgrims along the Arafat, Muzdalifah and Mina line months in advance to prevent stampedes. Those arriving without a Hajj visa cause unforeseen dangers and stampedes resulting in death in these areas and disrupt the plans and programs. Therefore, this practice is an appropriate and necessary measure taken to ensure that pilgrims are not victimized in the holy land and that there is no stampede.”
Stating that pilgrims pay serious fees in order to perform a more peaceful worship in the holy land, Bircan said, “Those who come to the holy land illegally benefit from many services such as accommodation, service and health services offered to pilgrims in Arafat in return for the fees paid by our pilgrims, even though they do not have the right to benefit from them, and they enter the right of servitude. It should not be forgotten that in a worship such as Hajj, which is expected to purify people from all their sins, the right of servant can also harm the Hajj worship.”
“WE WILL TAKE ALL KINDS OF MEASURES AGAINST THOSE WHO TRY TO PERFORM HAJJ ILLEGALLY”
Underlining that one of the duties of the Presidency of Religious Affairs in the Hajj organization is to take measures for the safety of pilgrims, Bircan continued as follows:
“The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has stated that those who enter the holy land with visas other than the Hajj visa during this year’s pilgrimage will be immediately removed from the country and punished. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior also stated that those who want to perform Hajj with different visas such as tourist, worker, umrah, commercial visas other than Hajj visas will be fined 10 thousand riyals. In this context, as Turkey, we will cooperate with the Saudi authorities and take all kinds of measures against those who try to perform Hajj illegally. For this reason, in order to avoid undesirable scenes and to avoid damaging the reputation of ourselves and our state, wrong ways should not be resorted to.”
Bircan said that pilgrim candidates should trust the Presidency of Religious Affairs and companies that provide services with official contracts, and added, “Attention should be paid to the information in e-Government accounts and should not act without permission to go on pilgrimage. In this matter, which is also seriously followed by the Saudi Arabian authorities, we warn our citizens not to be victimized and not to encounter unwanted situations in the holy land.”
Source: AA
