A record 9,600 Muslims from across China will leave for their
pilgrimage to Mecca later this month by taking 31 chartered planes
organized by the Chinese Islamic Association, the China News Agency
reported yesterday.
"It is the first time that Chinese pilgrims will fly directly
from China to Medinah this year, which is more convenient compared
with previous tours when the pilgrims first reached Jeddah by air,
and then went to Medinah by bus," Yang Zhibo, vice chairman of the
Chinese Islamic Association, was quoted as saying.
Normally, the pilgrims go to Medinah to worship at the holy tomb
of Prophet Mohammad, and then walk to Mecca for the hajj.
Muslims attending the hajj mainly come from eight provinces and
autonomous regions, namely Xinjiang, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia and Shaanxi in the northwest, Inner Mongolia in the north, Yunnan in the southwest and central China's Henan, according to Yang.
The pilgrimage planes will take off from Lanzhou, Urumqi,
Kunming and Beijing between November 29 and December 17.
The journey back from Mecca will be between January 5-24,
2007.
Starting from 1989, the Chinese Islamic Association used
chartered planes to transport Chinese Muslims to Saudi Arabia,
which saved both time and money for pilgrims.
So far, about 120,000 Chinese Muslims have been to Mecca for the
hajj since the beginning of the 1980s.
"This year's number is a record high, which prompts us to take
many measures in both safety and accommodation," said Yang.
For instance, Chinese Muslims can either have dinner in
community kitchens or in designated local Chinese restaurants run
by Chinese business people there.
A team of 20 medical workers will also accompany the pilgrims to
Mecca to provide in-time care as more than half of the pilgrims are
elderly people, according to Yang.
About 2.5 million pilgrims from all over the world are expected
to attend this year's hajj.
Yang said the organized Chinese Muslim pilgrimage group will
contribute to a smooth and orderly hajj in Saudi Arabia.
According to Islamic rules, every able-bodied Muslim who can
afford to do so is obliged to make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least
once in their lifetime.
(China Daily November 11, 2006)
