http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=58038&d=25&m=1&y=2005 Tuesday, 25, January, 2005 (14, Dhul Hijjah, 1425)
Five-Star Haj Suites in Mina Cost as Much as SR150,000! Hassan Adawi, Arab News MINA, 25 January 2005 - Despite statements from officials denying the existence of five star camps for pilgrims, the reality is something else. Arab News visited one of the camps and met its owner, Abu Muhammad. We saw that these camps have little or nothing to do with Haj. The camps are opulent, comparable to a five-star hotel with telephones, satellite TV, five-star meals, luxurious bedrooms and bathrooms in addition to special cars and drivers to transport the pilgrims from the camp to the Holy Sites. Most people say that these luxury camps are moving hotels which should have no part in Haj. Islam does not teach such differentiation between pilgrims performing Haj. At the entrance to the camp there are guards and inside there are servants in abundance. The price of a suite in the camps may exceed SR150,000. Abu Muhammad pointed out that the camps cater to important people who are willing to pay from SR25,000 to SR150,000 in order to be as comfortable as possible. Abu Muhammad said that it cost him more than SR2 million to prepare the luxury accommodation for his clients. Some of the sections are made to the individual's order; demands and requirements vary and in most cases, they are met. Abu Muhammad said: "A luxury Haj begins with the pilgrims being met at the airport by a driver. The same driver is with them until the end when he delivers them again to the airport. Once they arrive, we provide a massage and a sauna to help them relax. The pilgrims do not have to look for stones in Muzdalifa as we provide them in silk and velvet bags. The food we provide is five-star food from five-star hotels." A five-star pilgrim told Arab News that he found no problem in paying so much money for Haj. "God gave me money and I am using it to perform Haj," he said. Others who were performing a more "normal" Haj called these five-star camps "unnecessary, and a waste of money. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Has someone you know been affected by illness or disease? Network for Good is THE place to support health awareness efforts! http://us.click.yahoo.com/rkgkPB/UOnJAA/Zx0JAA/uTGrlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Post message: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED] List owner : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
