Mexican Pilgrims from 2001, 2002

By Mudar Abdulghani, IOL Mexico's Correspondent

MEXICO CITY, February 10 (IslamOnline) - A number of Muslim leaders in Mexico expressed sorrow for the fact that nobody they know has managed to go to Hajj this year. The number of Muslims in Mexico is estimated at a few thousand Muslims, out of the huge population of Mexico, estimated at 100 million people.

Said Louahabi, president of the Islamic Center in the Mexican capital, explained that the number of Muslims going to Hajj on their account is very little, due to the small number of Muslims, as well as the high cost of the Hajj trip, estimated at a minimum of 2000 U.S. Dollars.

Most of the Muslims can not afford this, he said, explaining that in previous years, a number of new Muslims were hosted by some Islamic organizations abroad. Other expatriate pilgrims preferred to join Hajj expeditions from their countries.

No Muslims were able to go from the southern state of Chiapas as well. It is noteworthy that the majority of Muslims in this state are from indigenous groups who converted to Islam after a few years of Dawa (Calling for Islam) work by a group of Spanish Muslims led by Muhammad Nafea.

With assistance from Muslims abroad, the Islamic Community in Chiapas sent the first group of pilgrims in 2001, with 25 pilgrims and in 2002, 22 Muslims went to Hajj from Chiapas.

These two Hajj trips were a unique experience for those new Muslims, many of which never left the boundaries of their state before, let alone traveling abroad.  The Hajj trip was a chance for them to mix with Muslims from around the world, and to enjoy the hospitality of their fellow Muslims.

They returned with a lasting effect that enhanced their faith, changed their lives, and made an impression on the other members of the community who saw the effect on them, and listened to their stories about Islamic brotherhood.