Khaleda's pilgrimage
Zulfiquar Ali, New York
I live in the US. I learned from one of the Bangladeshi TV channels that Begum Khaleda Zia was on her way to Saudi Arabia for a 7-day trip to perform umra. The news item also stated that her entourage would include her two sons and their wives, three grand children and two of her brothers and their families. It is my understanding that Khaleda Zia had performed hajj and umra before. I have also been told that she had performed umra more than once, probably numerous times. Performance of hajj is obligatory upon all Muslims, provided they fulfil several stringent religious requirements, one of which is that his/her relatives and/or neighbours should be poverty free. By just this single requirement, my question is, does Khaleda Zia, the prime minister of one of the poor countries in the world, qualify to perform hajj or umra? The same applies to Hasina Wajed, who too has performed this religious act. My next question is who was bearing the costs of this entourage of Khaleda Zia, numbering probably 30 to 35 people? If the government bears the costs of this trip then I strongly oppose it.
|
|
