Andhra Govt extends financial assistance to Hajj pilgrims

The Andhra Pradesh Government on Wednesday issued a financial order for extending financial assistance to Hajj pilgrims for expenses other than travel expenditure. The State Hajj committee has also made few arrangements for the pilgrims during their Hajj visit.

"The assistance will be Rs. 60,000 for pilgrims having an annual income less than Rs. 3 lakhs, and Rs. 30,000 for pilgrims having annual income more than Rs. 3 lakhs. The expenditure shall be met from the B.E 2019-20 of Andhra Pradesh Hajj Committee for this scheme," read a release by the state government. 

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Apart from this, the Andhra Pradesh Hajj Committee has also made arrangements for free accommodation and food to Hajj pilgrims from the time of their reporting to the Hajj camp to their departure on the pilgrimage. The Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. It is scheduled to begin on July 28 and will come to an end on August 2 in 2020.

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About Hajj

The Hajj is the annual pilgrimage to Mecca that Muslims are expected to make at least once in their lifetime. The word Hajj is an Arabic word, meaning ‘to intend a journey’. Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam – the others are shahadah (declaration of faith); salat (daily prayer); zakat (giving of alms); sawm (fasting in Ramadan). Every year about 2 to 3 million people from across the world gather in Mecca for the Hajj.

The pilgrimage must take place during the month of Dhu al Hijja, the last month of the Islamic calendar. The rites of Hajj are performed from the 8th to the 12th of Dhu al Hijjah. As the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar year, the date changes in the Gregorian calendar each year, and is 10 to 11 days earlier than the preceding year. In 2019, Hajj is expected to be on or around August 9th.

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(With ANI inputs)