By Raqib Hameed Naik and M Reyaz, TwoCircles.net
New Delhi: In a significant move, the Hajj Committee of India (HCI) has finally reviewed its earlier decision of centralised collection of qurbani (ritual sacrifice) money and made the qurbani coupons optional.
The decision to this effect was taken by the HCI in a meeting on Monday. The move announced was a result of much hue and cry by certain section of Ulamas over the HCI’s scheme of centralised collection of qurbani money in the total amount collected from the prospective pilgrims, who are going on Hajj this year.
Speaking to TwoCircles.net, Ataur Rahman, CEO, Central HCI, confirmed the decision. “Those who do not want to purchase qurbani coupons through HCI, can opt not to, it has been made optional, he said.
Stating that he is still in Delhi, Rahman said, once he reaches Mumbai, where the HCI headquarter is located, the circular will be issued.
The HCI had earlier termed it as a move for the convenience of the pilgrims alleging that there were reports of fraud by middle men who are involved in facilitating the ritual sacrifices.
In the Monday’s meeting, the earlier decision which had made purchasing of the qurbani coupon through HCI mandatory for all Hajjis was reviewed and it was made optional to the pilgrims who are going on Hajj this year.
The new decision of making optional the of purchasing of qurbani coupon through HCI has brought cheers among various Muslim representational bodies across India, who were protesting the move.
It is important to mention here that, All India Ulama Council (AIUC), that claims to have representatives from religious scholars of all major Muslim schools – Deobandi, Bareilly, Ahl-e-hadis and Shia denomination of Islam – had called a press conference on April 30 this year in Mumbai, alleging rampant corruption in the Hajj Committee and accused Hajj committee of minting money by introducing the new scheme of centralized qurbani.
Mufti Azizur Rahman Fatehpuri (Deoband school of thought), Mufti Salim Akhtar (Bareilly school of thought), Maulana Abdus Salam Salfi (Ahl-e Hadith school of thought) and Maulana Syed Ahmad Ali Abidi (Shia denomination of Islam) had termed the decision of the HCI of compulsorily charging for qurbani “unjustified, oppressive and clear violation of Qur’anic injunctions.” They had also claimed that it was unnecessary interference in the matter of Shariah.
In May, Darul Uloom Deoband had also issued a fatwa advising pilgrims to disregard the HCI coupon scheme.
The HCI had earlier brushed aside the allegations, asserting that the facility was introduced for the convenience of the pilgrims as there were over 9,000 reported complaints of Hajjis, from whom middle men had collected the ‘qurbani’ money and gave coupons, but sacrifices were not done in their names, HCI had claimed. HCI had also maintained that most of the pilgrims from India anyways offer the sacrificial slaughter.
Speaking to TwoCircles.net on Tuesday, Maulana Mahmood Ahmad Khan Daryabadi, general secretary of AIUC, expressed his happiness that the HCI has made it optional, but reminded that the HCI should rather work towards facilitating the pilgrimage, making the journey and stay of Hajjis convenient, than indulging in things which is not their forte.
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