Hajj issues faced by Kashmiri women continue to be ignored year after year, and this time is no different. It is extremely disappointing that not a single female State Hajj Inspector (khadim) has been selected from Jammu & Kashmir, nor has any female trainer been appointed to guide Kashmiri women Hajis. This is a clear case of injustice and gender discrimination.
Don’t Kashmiri women deserve to learn the basics of Hajj from a female trainer with whom they feel comfortable? Don’t female Hajis deserve the presence of female SHIs to assist them during Hajj in situations specific to women? Why is there no set criterion to appoint at least one female SHI for every 150 female Hajis?
How is a male SHI expected to be the right choice for women Hajis, particularly Kashmiri women, when there are so many Taboos associated with many topics related to women? Kashmiri women, many of whom are elderly and uneducated, struggle with communication, making their Hajj journey even more difficult without female SHIs who can speak their native language.
During my own Hajj experience last year, I saw firsthand the hardships faced by Kashmiri women due to the absence of a female SHI. The visit to Riyaz-ul-Jannah without female SHI was particularly challenging, and the lack of a female SHI at Mina and Arafat, where women have separate tents, led to unnecessary chaos and confusion. This situation is bound to repeat itself this year if no corrective measures are taken. Now, with no female SHI included again this year, history is bound to repeat itself, causing immense distress to Kashmiri women.
Why should Kashmiri female Hajis suffer due to this negligence? A fair and simple solution is to include female SHIs from Kashmir who can effectively assist these women. Hajj is once in a lifetime opportunity and an important pillar of islam fir Kashmiri women too, she deserves to perform hajj with every sort of right knowledge and guidance where female trainer and female SHI is must. I urge you to immediately address this pressing issue and ensure that Kashmiri women Hajis receive the support they rightfully deserve.
I look forward to your positive response.
Writer of this letter is Saima Shafi, Can be reached at [email protected] .
