South Sudanese Muslims “will need donations to go on the Haj”.
The Islamic Council in Central Equatoria State says most of its members cannot afford to go on a pilgrimage this year.
Speaking to Eye Radio, the Council Secretary General Salah Rajab Bunduki said that the pilgrimage – called the Haj – costs at least fourteen thousand pounds and many people cannot afford the cost and may have to depend on donations.
“With this situation as you see, I don’t think that these people can go I am quite sure that those who want to go are waiting if there is an offer, last year there was a chance from the King of Saudi Arabia and that is distributed to the Muslims all over the world,” he said. “But I cannot say all of us will go even if we got that offer because for one person to get 14,000 SSP is very difficult.”
Meanwhile, Secretary for the Women’s League of Central Equatoria State’s Islamic Council, Arafa Juma Suliman said that packages of food have been distributed to Muslims in Juba town for the month of Ramadan.
“We have packages which composed of oil, flour, sugar and rice; we are distributing them to any Muslim present in Juba town, “she said. “The money we bought with these was collected from the traders and from the people of good will. We are not able to reach the counties because the resources we have is limited but we have plan to reach there in the coming program.”
Madam Suliman is urged the Muslims to continue with their fasting peacefully.
Ramadam ends on August 7th.
