Trinidad and Tobago Hajj Pilgrims Seek Prayer Space
According to the group’s general secretary Imtiaz Mohammed, because of the ongoing repairs of the airport’s atrium, it has become impossible to facilitate the large crowds accompanying the pilgrims to bid their family members goodbye and make final supplications before their departure.
Based on the Islamic calendar, Muslim pilgrims are currently leaving to travel to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Five Hajj groups from Trinidad and Tobago have been authorized by the government of Saudi Arabia to take pilgrims to the Sacred Land, where they will perform one of the most important obligations of the religion lasting three weeks to a month.
"Ummah T&T believes that the current ad hoc arrangements, where the departing Muslims are forced to jostle with other travelers and perform their rites of departure in an undignified manner, is unbefitting and possibly infringes on the constitutional right of Muslims to practice their religion,” Mohammed said.
"Indeed, it is incumbent on the Airports Authority to make contingency plans to ensure that the several hundreds of pilgrims who pay up to $60,000 each to make the trip are allowed to depart in comfort, and with a peace of mind which will not detract from the serenity and tranquility required for the once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Mohammed is suggesting that an open area to the east of the departure lounge be immediately made available "specifically for the Muslim community to fulfil the religious rites before departure for the holiest site in Islam.”
He also said additional car parking spaces are also needed in such a time as this.
In a release on Monday, however, the AATT said they only received a request to film the departure of pilgrims journeying to Mecca for the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
"This request was approved by the authority. No other requests were made to the authority. It is to be noted that the authority customarily approves requests for use of its facilities by various religious and cultural groups,” the AATT said.
It added that it has been in contact with the group who made the request for filming and added that the group expressed satisfaction with the approvals granted. The authority also noted that there is a non-denominational prayer room outfitted at the airport, "which can be accessed by all airport users and which affords all persons the opportunity to reflect in a peaceful and private environment.”
Source: The Trinidad and Tobago Guardian
