Original report from Phnom Penh
09 December 2009
On a recent Monday, Mat Haval, a 56-year-old Cambodian Muslim, prepared to leave for Saudi Arabi, to participate in the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. She was content spending $3,550 for the trip, money she had saved since 1993, for a 40-day trip that is one of the pillars of the Muslim faith.“Everyone has sins,” said the woman, a fish vendor on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. “Until now, we can’t say we have no sins, so I’m going there to get rid of them.”
The Hajj, which is held once a year in the holy city of Mecca, is the fifth obligation to be carried out by Muslims. It must be fulfilled at least once in their lifetime, so long as they can afford it.
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