Qaanitah Hunter- Cii News- August 2, 2012

The Islamic Medical Association has withdrawn their membership from the South African Hajj and Umrah Council (SAHUC).

According to the president of IMA, Dr. Shuaib Wadee, the decision to withdraw was a difficult one to make and was done collectively.

The IMA stood on the board of SAHUC and was involved with their Hajj missions to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for several years.

“Over the years we become distant and we were unhappy with how decisions are being made at SAHUC,” Dr. Wadee said.

He added that the IMA felt they were not offering any value to SAHUC without mentioning further details.

“We are not comfortable ratifying certain decision of SAHUC given the recent controversy that SAHUC has been involved in,” he said.

SAHUC has been the subject of scrutiny regarding their funds and their role in procuring an adequate quota for hajj visas for South Africans.

Dr. Wadee emphasised that this decision in no way is an attempt to vilify SAHUC.

“We don’t want to create a situation of bitterness and unhappiness and a feeling that the Ummah is divided,” he said but mentioned that there were certain areas where the IMA and SAHUC could not find consensus.

In recent years SAHUC handled the medical mission themselves and therefore according to Wadee, there will not be any significant changes in the operations of SAHUC.

“It is simply that we will not be ratifying any decisions made by SAHUC,” Wadee noted.

SAHUC secretary general Shaheen Essop was unavailable for comment.