Pilgrims angry over passport requirements

A large number of pilgrims voiced their anger at some administrative departments for requiring pictures of them with no scarf and beard to get a passport. Some of them preferred to give up pilgrimage to the holy places of Islam in Saudi Arabia in the face of such hurdles and constraints.

• Some administrations were tough in implementing the instructions of the Algerian interior ministry in terms of showing pictures where women’s ears must be seen.
• Some pilgrims said they refused to shave their beards to take pictures while some women considered that taking out their scarves or showing their ears is something shameful.
• “With the scarf, we are in our usual look seen by policemen at airports and border guards. Taking pictures by showing our ears is offending to us and we will never accept that,” a woman said.
• “In this way, we look like mentally-ill people,” she added.
• Saudi authorities decided this year to issue international passports for pilgrims instead of special Hadj passports. This triggered dissatisfaction among some religion-practicing people who do not accept to take pictures with no scarf or with their beards shaven.
• They blasted this procedure as an offending new measure. Many of them decided woefully not perform the annual pilgrimage which is regarded as the fifth pillar of Islam.