Tamil Nadu - Chennai   

Subsidy for Haj pilgrims not correct, says Prince of Arcot

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: The Prince of Arcot, Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali, in a press release said the "Union Government's subsidy for Haj pilgrims is not correct and appropriate, according to the tenets of Islam." He wondered why a Haj pilgrim should avail of it.

According to Nawab Abdul Ali, the Haj pilgrimage is one of the obligatory duties of a Muslim who can afford it.

"Let not the community sacrifice values, principles and rules of Islam for petty financial benefits," observed the Prince. "If the Government really wants to help the Muslims let the equal subsidy amount he used for the community's constructive and meaningful welfare measures."

Reacting to newspaper reports that the Union Government has decided to allow the Haj pilgrims to carry $ 10,000, as basic travel quota, in addition to 2,000 Saudi Riyals, Nawab Abdul Ali said the move means an annual outflow of foreign exchange to the tune of 1,000 million dollars for one lakh pilgrims visiting the Holy Mosques at Makkah and Madinah.

"This is not at all required if a Muslim is really interested to perform the obligatory duty, Haj," he commented. "If the pilgrims are so rich, why take the Government's Haj subsidy? The Haj is not a luxury trip or picnic."

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Barnala commends hard work put in by AIDS agencies
Kalam outlines crucial research areas to foster growth
Treat AIDS patients with sensitivity: Jayakumar
Business trust's HIV/AIDS initiative
Never say impossible, Kalam tells students
Now, medical process outsourcing
City Civil Court declines to stay Chennai Test
Think out of the box, Kalam tells students
MoU for English proficiency courses
"Marine sector to benefit from revised system"
Judiciary wants land near court
Access to quality education imperative: Bengal Speaker
Tapping artistic skills of students
Singapore beckons school students
Ordeal of retired officers, war widows ends
Forgery charge against village official
Two defamation proceedings against Suhasini stayed
Black kites come calling
Make full use of free legal service, Judge urges litigants, members of public
Three artists honoured at music festival
Private candidates can apply for higher secondary exams
Expo to spread awareness of human trafficking
Now, designer uniforms for Chennai Telephones employees
Mambalam residents seek re-laying of battered roads
Imbibing intricacies of fine arts from the masters
Subsidy for Haj pilgrims not correct, says Prince of Arcot
Workshop on disaster management
Annual sale of Bible Society begins
AIESEC workshop on December 3
French film to use stunt sequence from "Muthu"
"A get-together"
Held for forging property document
Choices galore at Craft Bazaar
Free books for flood-hit students
In the Mahatma's footsteps
Barn Owl rescued by residents
Around the City
In Chennai Today

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu