The Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje, has called on Muslims who have completed the Haj pilgrimage to avoid reverting to worldly temptations, emphasising the spiritual significance of the journey to Makkah.
Speaking during a thanksgiving ceremony in Bugweri District, Mubaje reminded pilgrims of Prophet Muhammad’s teaching that an accepted Haj leads to eternal rewards in paradise.
“We admonish Hajs and Hajjats to live righteously as they await death, en route to eternal life,” Mufti Mubaje said.
He was addressing attendees at the colourful event organised in honor of Hajjat Zowena Naigaga Munuulo, who recently returned from Haj. The ceremony was hosted by her children at their home in Bunyantole village.
The Mufti also used the occasion to praise the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) Department of Haj and Umrah for consistently providing quality pilgrimage services.
He thanked Sheikh Ali Juma Shiwuyu and his team for their dedication in ensuring that Ugandan Muslims have access to reliable and trustworthy arrangements for Haj.
However, Mufti Mubaje expressed concern over unscrupulous individuals turning the sacred pilgrimage into a business by charging exorbitant fees and exploiting pilgrims.
He cited recent incidents of fraud, including non-Muslims pretending to be Ugandan pilgrims and using Haj as a cover for criminal activities, such as drug trafficking.
“The UMSC, together with the governments of Uganda and Saudi Arabia, will soon enforce strict regulations to address these illegal acts,” he warned.
In response to a request for the creation of a new Bugweri Muslim District, the Mufti revealed that the area had already been approved as a separate district by the UMSC’s Joint Session.
He assured local leaders that the UMSC Electoral Commission would oversee the formalization process.
