First group of SA pilgrims land in Saudi Arabia

RELIGIOUS DUTY

- NADIA KHAN and CANDICE SOOBRAMONEY

ON TUESDAY morning, the first 66 South African pilgrims touched down in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ahead of Hajj 2025.

Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage made to the Kaaba - the “House of Allah”, in the holy city of Mecca.

This year, Hajj is expected to start on June 4 and end on June 9.

Moaaz Casoo, president of the South African Hajj and Umrah Council (Sahuc), said there were 2 500 accredited pilgrims this year.

He said the first group of pilgrims left South Africa on Monday.

“They arrived in the kingdom during the early hours of Tuesday morning. The other pilgrims are expected to start arriving from Wednesday (today).

Casoo said Hajj was one of the five pillars of Islam and a religious duty that must be carried out at least once by Muslims.

“This is provided that the person is healthy, fit, able and financially in a position to perform Hajj.”

Casoo added that all pilgrims are the guests of Allah.

“One cannot get a better host and it is only through the will of Allah (SWT), that our 2500 pilgrims have been afforded the opportunity of a lifetime out of two billion Muslims. Everything in life and most certainly during Hajj, can only happen with the permission of Allah (SWT).