This year's Hajj has presented an great opportunity for many Muslims to atone for the sins they committed over the past three years, owing to the pilgrimage being restricted amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The son of a Kenyan millionaire spent more than half a million dollars from his father’s will to help 120 people to perform their first Hajj.
Ahmed Soliman, 43, had never performed Hajj himself but found himself leading a group of Kenyan Muslims to answer the call of God.
“I was busy with life and religion was never my strongest point. I would like to make an excuse that I was helping my father making millions, so I did not have time for prayers and other things that make a good Muslim,” he told The National.
His father, Suleiman Said, who died last February, made his fortune in the construction business and left in his will instructions that part of his estate should finance pilgrims in 2022.
But many of the people at this year’s Hajj have stories to tell — often littered with hardships.
Former taxi driver Juma Ismail, who is part of Mr Suleiman's group, was left in a wheelchair after a road accident.
“I am eternally grateful for their generosity because there is no way I could earn enough money to be here,” Mr Ismail, said.
Tasneem Qassim, a Pakistani who was working in Kuwait, was left in a similar situation after crushing his right leg in a fall.
“I was a bricklayer of a construction company in Kuwait and had a 10-foot fall from a wall that left my right leg needing an amputation. That was back in 2017. I did not believe when I got a call that my application for Hajj was approved from kind donors in Karachi,” Mr Qassim told The National.
In October last year, schoolteacher Bakari Hassan came out of a prison in Tanzania penniless after committing a petty crime.
“I went to prison for not honouring six cheques and was sentenced to three months. I did not have a cent when I came out. I wanted to repent my sins and my friends came with enough money to send me here for Hajj,” the 34-year-old chemistry teacher said.
But for Waleed Al Mahrizi, with his high-pressure job as a manager with Oman’s state-run company OQ, Hajj presented a welcome opportunity to help others and bring some peace and a higher purpose into his life.
“I have paid for myself this Hajj, but I am also here to help a group of Omani pilgrims to adhere to safety procedures as an HSE expert. It brings peace in my heart to do it,” Mr Al Mahrizi said.
Most pilgrims had a positive experience in his year's Hajj, reassured by the many precautions issued by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and other participating authorities.
“The Saudi Hajj police did a commendable job in easing our three kilometre walk from Mina to Jamarat, and the traffic flow to different places,” said Kuwaiti pilgrim Said Al Hammali.
International pilgrims are expected on Wednesday to perform the Farewell Tawaaf after concluding three sessions of the stoning of the devil ritual.
“We did everything except the Farewell Tawaf that we are planning to do on Wednesday," said Mohammed Al Hashmi, an Iranian pilgrim.
"All went surprisingly well and we expect no problems on Wednesday, and praise to Lord and the Saudi authorities for taking care of us."
The Farewell Tawaf is the last ritual and pilgrims need to leave Makkah as soon as it is completed. It is not obligatory to perform it but it is highly recommended.
Most of the foreign pilgrims are expected to fly back home at the weekend.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
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Asia Cup Qualifier
Venue: Kuala Lumpur
Result: Winners play at Asia Cup in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in September
Fixtures:
Wed Aug 29: Malaysia v Hong Kong, Nepal v Oman, UAE v Singapore
Thu Aug 30: UAE v Nepal, Hong Kong v Singapore, Malaysia v Oman
Sat Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong, Oman v Singapore, Malaysia v Nepal
Sun Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman, Malaysia v UAE, Nepal v Singapore
Tue Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore, UAE v Oman, Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu Sep 6: Final
Asia Cup
Venue: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Schedule: Sep 15-28
Teams: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, plus the winner of the Qualifier
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
Company%20profile
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Citizenship-by-investment programmes
United Kingdom
The UK offers three programmes for residency. The UK Overseas Business Representative Visa lets you open an overseas branch office of your existing company in the country at no extra investment. For the UK Tier 1 Innovator Visa, you are required to invest £50,000 (Dh238,000) into a business. You can also get a UK Tier 1 Investor Visa if you invest £2 million, £5m or £10m (the higher the investment, the sooner you obtain your permanent residency).
All UK residency visas get approved in 90 to 120 days and are valid for 3 years. After 3 years, the applicant can apply for extension of another 2 years. Once they have lived in the UK for a minimum of 6 months every year, they are eligible to apply for permanent residency (called Indefinite Leave to Remain). After one year of ILR, the applicant can apply for UK passport.
The Caribbean
Depending on the country, the investment amount starts from $100,000 (Dh367,250) and can go up to $400,000 in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take between four to five months to receive a passport.
Portugal
The investment amount ranges from €350,000 to €500,000 (Dh1.5m to Dh2.16m) in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take a maximum of six months to receive a Golden Visa. Applicants can apply for permanent residency after five years and Portuguese citizenship after six years.
“Among European countries with residency programmes, Portugal has been the most popular because it offers the most cost-effective programme to eventually acquire citizenship of the European Union without ever residing in Portugal,” states Veronica Cotdemiey of Citizenship Invest.
Greece
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Greece is €250,000, making it the cheapest real estate residency visa scheme in Europe. You can apply for residency in four months and citizenship after seven years.
Spain
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Spain is €500,000. You can apply for permanent residency after five years and citizenship after 10 years. It is not necessary to live in Spain to retain and renew the residency visa permit.
Cyprus
Cyprus offers the quickest route to citizenship of a European country in only six months. An investment of €2m in real estate is required, making it the highest priced programme in Europe.
Malta
The Malta citizenship by investment programme is lengthy and investors are required to contribute sums as donations to the Maltese government. The applicant must either contribute at least €650,000 to the National Development & Social Fund. Spouses and children are required to contribute €25,000; unmarried children between 18 and 25 and dependent parents must contribute €50,000 each.
The second step is to make an investment in property of at least €350,000 or enter a property rental contract for at least €16,000 per annum for five years. The third step is to invest at least €150,000 in bonds or shares approved by the Maltese government to be kept for at least five years.
Candidates must commit to a minimum physical presence in Malta before citizenship is granted. While you get residency in two months, you can apply for citizenship after a year.
Egypt
A one-year residency permit can be bought if you purchase property in Egypt worth $100,000. A three-year residency is available for those who invest $200,000 in property, and five years for those who purchase property worth $400,000.
Source: Citizenship Invest and Aqua Properties
