Stricter medical checkup for pilgrims needed: Observers

JAKARTA (JP): A stricter medical examination for prospective pilgrims would be necessary to reduce the number of deaths during haj rituals, Moslem observers said yesterday.

Chairman of the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) K.H. Hasan Basri, noted Moslem scholar Quraish Shihab, and head of the Indonesian Haj Brotherhood (IPHI) Sulastomo, said separately that greater physical fitness would enable the pilgrims to complete the tiring rituals and return home safely.

Pilgrims have been returning to Indonesia since April 23. So far 653 of the 195,253 Indonesian pilgrims have died in the Holy Land.

Most of the pilgrims died of heart failure and lung problems, according to the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

Last year 570 of 194,034 pilgrims died.

A ministry official said recently that almost half of the haj pilgrims this year were unhealthy despite the fact they had health certificates.

Quraish Shihab said prospective pilgrims who had a serious illness were not obliged to perform the pilgrimage.

"Islam does not force its followers to do any ritual. Performing haj pilgrim is not the only way to be close to God," said Shihab, who is the rector of the state-run Islamic Institute (IAIN) in Ciputat, Jakarta.

Sulastomo, who is the director of the health insurance company PT Askes, said pilgrims persistent on performing haj who were suffering an illness needed extra attention and care.

Moslems believe those who die and are buried in the Holy Land are directly "accepted" by Allah.

Hasan said MUI had earlier issued a ruling that a desire to die in Mecca is strictly prohibited by Islam.

Amien Rais, chairman of the Moslem organization Muhammadiyah, described the act as arrogance before God.

"Death is God's concern and as such, man should not interfere by planning where to die," he said.

Hasan said, "Mecca is not a graveyard for haj pilgrims and the main intention is to have haji mabrur (haj blessed by God) not to die there".

There have been rumors of pilgrims gaining health certificates from relatives working in health services.

Health certificates are first issued from village or subdistrict Health Community Centers (Puskesmas) before pilgrims apply for another certificate from the regency or mayoralty health offices. The final health certificates are issued at the embarkation points.

Minister of Health Sujudi said ministry officials could not ban people from performing the haj pilgrimage even though it was detrimental to their health. (11)