Is this Tony's father???
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"Tales of the Last Hajj-e-Akbar of the Century
A CPA in Southern California, Farrukh Zia recounts horrific details of his and others’ experience with some Hajj Tour agents.
For most Muslims Hajj is once in a lifetime experience. Saving money to pay for the journey takes months and years of sacrifices for some. Horror stories of Saudi immigration, passport controls and other things add to the anxiety. Despite all the challenges Muslims prepare themselves to make this journey in the utmost respectful and spiritual sense for the pure pleasure of Allah (SWT).
To ease some of the administrative and government burdens people look to Hajj tour operators to take care of all the arrangements, accommodations, transportation, food, etc. and gladly pay for these services. Hajj tour operators are trusted as professionals who help Hajis make their journey easy and trouble free. In this article the readers will learn that not all tour operators are alike and not all have the best interest of Hajis in their hearts.
This article reflects the feelings of a large group of Hajis from North America, who experienced serious problems with two Hajj tour operators, namely Dr. Ibrahim Elgindy of Illinois who operates businesses under different names, including Travel All and Dr. Omar Khattab of California who operates as Riverside Hajj.
Not to absolve Dr. Khattab, most Hajis who dealt with Dr. Elgindy were upset at the very least and distressed by his misrepresentations, manipulations and irresponsibility.
The story begins with Dr. Elgindy’s failure to accompany the Group as he was supposed to join everyone from New York and abandoned the Hajis in Saudi Arabia for over ten days. Most of his group Hajis destined for Madina first and were promised accommodations at the Four Star Al Shourfah Plaza Hotel.
Instead, the accommodations were changed to Al Shourfah Wings/Suites without anyone’s prior knowledge.
Hajis learned that these so-called suites remain unoccupied and un-maintained for ten months a year and used mostly during Hajj season. The evidence was overwhelming with pest infestation like cockroaches and alike, unhygienic bathroom conditions, badly soiled carpets. To make the matters worst, each room in a suite was approximately 10x12 room were filled with five junior beds and space to walk.
Dr. Elgindy was nowhere to be found and Dr. Omar Khattab appeared dumb founded and blamed Dr. Elgindy for this bate and switch operation.
Later it was rumored that Dr. Elgindy got a bargain on these suites at half the price, compared to the adjacent Four Star Al Shourfah Plaza Hotel.
During a group meeting most Hajis brought their concerns to Dr. Khattab very respectfully and cordially and consoled each other to keep their Hajj spirits high. Most Hajis willingly agreed to ignore this unfortunate mix-up and move on.
Unfortunately, this was only the beginning of what turned out to be sequential mishap after mishap.
Next, in Madina the Hajj tour operators decided to not provide the promised meals (which the Hajis agreed to accept) and arbitrarily offered to refunded at a rate of 25 Riyal per person per day (approximately $6.50 per person). Actual cost of daily food was much more that $6.50 per person.
From Madina it was time to go to Mecca and a bus was arranged for about thirty Hajis to go to Mecca without any representative from the tour operator. The driver spoke only Arabic and the rest of the passengers spoke anything but Arabic.
Dr. Khattab instructed the group to make sure that they declare themselves as Mina Camp 59 designated for South Asia. Many Hajis felt uncomfortable with this lie and deception, however, they were helpless.
After four days in Madina Hajis were on their way to the promised “Five Star, Royal Suites Mecca Hilton Tower” as advertised, where in each room three persons were supposed to stay. By the time the group arrived at the hotel and settled in, most realized that it was not a Five-Star Hotel; it was not part of a Hilton franchise; rooms were not the Royal Suites as defined by Hilton Hotels. Hajis ended up in a standard room, approximately 14x18, with six mix and match beds laid out like a hospital’s general ward with one shared bathroom and no outgoing telephone service.
Rumors were floating that the 9th floor where Hajis stayed was leased by a Shaikh for his personal use and from time to occupied by his family. Some alleged that these rooms were rented out illegally and the furniture was temporarily rented for Hajj season. (The furniture did not belong to Hilton’s or met its standards). Hilton refused to service any of the Hajis from these groups and disclaimed any affiliation with Dr. Elgindy or Dr. Khattab.
Despite self-restraint during the Hajj, some of the steel nerved Hajis were beginning to melt and loose temper. They feared loosing their Hajj if they got angry because of the continued lies and excuses. Hajis were starting to feel that someone was taking advantage of the situation and playing with the emotions and sentiments.
After spending about four days in Mecca a group of Hajis shifted to a new residence in the city of Al Azeezia known as “The Villa”. Unbeknown, a group of Hajis learned that it was necessary to relocate to the Villa because the rooms in Mecca were booked for another incoming group. Upon arrival at the Villa, Hajis experienced the life in a village, where one room was filled with twelve women and each floor had about forty people with two bathrooms.
After staying in the Villa for a couple of days the Hajis proceeded to Mina.
The camp in Mina was nice and air-conditioned. Finally right at Hajj time Dr. Elgindy ascended in the camp. (Some Hajis stopped wondering if Dr. Elgindy was real or merely a figment of their imagination.) Dr. Elgindy must have been real tired so he found a comfortable place in the camp and took a short nap, while some of the other Hajis were still scrambling to find a place in the tent.
After spending the first night in the camp, Hajis proceeded to Arafat. Following morning Dr. Elgindy was now in control and ordered everyone to step outside of the camp and wait for the bus for nearly three hours under hot striking sun. He was considerate enough to let the Hajis leave non-essential things in the camp.
On the day of Hajj, the Hajis proceeded to the camp in Arafat.
Two out of three buses were lost and finally arrived between 2:00 and 4:00 PM. The lunch was served. Dr. Elgindy was not only tired but also hungry, so he decided to eat first and let Dr. Khattab handle the food service.
After completing the
Arafat visit, Hajis proceeded to Muzdalifah to spend the night and collect pebbles for Jamarat. Dr. Elgindy still hadn’t recouped from his late arrival, so he decided to leave the group and go to Mina without staying overnight in Jamarat.
Following morning when the group returned to Mina for Jamarat, they were shocked to learn that the camps were occupied by others and Saudi guards were protecting them. Their personal belongings were thrown out of the camp. In the process some of the belongings were missing including a woman’s medication.
Complaints were filed with the Hajj ministry without any resolve.
It appeared that camps could not be reclaimed because the tour operators did not have any written evidence, agreement or any instrument that would establish the rights of American Hajis in the South Asian camps. Staying three nights in Mina is a necessary part of Hajj, but for the group there was nowhere to stay.
By now the Hajj flu was in full force and majority of the Hajis were sick, coughing and weak. Older women and men were fatigued and distressed. One can image that the emotions were running high, instead of focusing on Ibadaat Hajis were trying to cope with the series of nightmares. Many felt their Hajj was in jeopardy because they had reached their tolerance level.
Finally there was some good news that there were some empty tents in the American camps, but without the mattresses. Tour operators quickly secured enough pillows and mattresses to proceed to the American Camp in Mina.
The bus ended up in an extremely distressed and un-sanitized part of the Asian camp with three empty tents. Some yelled this is not American camp and refused to get out of the bus, while others tried to make concession with what they had.
The next night a group of twenty Saudis came to claim the camp and declared that it was illegally occupied. So, what else was new? By now the Hajj was nearly over. Some people were returning to the Villa for the final day or two stay and then move on to their destinations.
As one can imagine some people were extremely upset with Dr. Elgindy and protested to him. As the saying goes the squeaky wheel gets the attention, Dr. Elgindy was kind enough to promise special concessions like a limousine service to Madina. When the time came, the limousine turned into a Van and when people complained, Dr. Elgindy responded “so I lied, sue me”. Some felt good to hear that at least Dr. Elgindy had some conscious to admit that he lied and the part about “sue me” sounded very appropriate.
Many Hajis vowed to discuss the problems with Dr. Khattab and Dr. Elgindy on the plane from Cairo to New York.
Unfortunately, neither Dr. Elgindy, Dr. Omar Khattab nor the religious advisor Brother Jalal, Imam of Rancho Cucamanga were able to board the plane.
And this was one Hajj group’s story of the last Hajj of this century.
This article is written to express actual events of one group. There must be others that are perhaps equally as bad or worst. Nothing now can recover what’s been lost, but something can be done to improve the future. It’s about time that Muslims of North America take action to protect innocent people from atrocities and have a system to reward genuine organizations while exposing the unscrupulous operators.
A few people have initiated the process of setting up a Hajj Website as a means to bring the people and resources together and have independent councils like ISNA, ICNA, local Masjids, etc. participate in the process. Muslims are encouraged to participate and help develop this aspect of our social and religious existence."
I can see this story being turned into a movie starring Dustin and Barbara as one of the tourist couples. On the surface the story appears to be strangely funny BUT it was NOT funny for the people who saved up to go on this trip of a lifetime.
IS this his father in this article?
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