DUSHANBE, December 22, Asia-Plus – A process of carrying Tajik Hajjis (pilgrims) from Dushanbe to Jeddah that was launched on December 12 is going on in accordance with schedule, Rustam Rustamov, deputy head of the TajikAir resources management unit, said in an interview with Asia-Plus.
“Tajik national air carrier has to date carried some 4000 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia,” Rustamov said, noting that a process of carrying of pilgrims from Khujand is also going on in accordance with schedule. According to him, 1,215 pilgrims have been carried to Jeddah from Khujand so far. “The last group of Sughd pilgrims was carried to Jeddah yesterday,” TajikAir official said.
In the meantime, Hoji Orif Bayzoyev, who is responsible for sending pilgrims from Sughd, told Asia-Plus that because of problems on the Shahriston pass a group of pilgrims from Zarafshon Valley had failed to get to Khujand on time. “Now, they will fly to Khujand from Panjakent on December 23,” Bayzoyev said.
We will recall that 4,500 Tajik Muslims will make Hajj this year. Tajik national air carrier TajikAir will carry them to Jeddah.
Jeddah,
located on the coast of the Red Sea, is the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city Riyadh.
Jeddah is the principal gateway to Mecca
, the holiest city of Islam
, which able-bodied Muslims are required to visit at least once in a lifetime.
Under a quota allotted by Saudi Arabia, 3,600 people from Tajikistan made the Hajj to Mecca in early 2006. This time, there are no restrictions on the number of pilgrims and anyone over the age of 18 who wishes may make the journey, according to the committee source.
The Hajj, a journey to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, is one of the five pillars of Islam.
