Colombo; Abdul Hassan Mohammed Azwer, who will depart for Saudi Arabia on Saturday, will be joining the thousands of other Sri Lankans who have made it to the nation's Hajj contingent — frequently with sacrifices, as their country is still engulfed in its worst financial crisis. 

The 22 million people who make up Sri Lanka's population, which is primarily Buddhist, include about 10% Muslims. 3,500 of them will participate in the spiritual journey, which is one of Islam's five pillars, this year.  

Since last week, they have been travelling to the Kingdom on special flights, and many of them have used their life savings to do so. 

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"The family's support allowed for the making of a great deal of sacrifices. As he and his wife prepared for the trip, Azwer told Arab News that raising the necessary funds had been extremely challenging.

We lack the words to adequately express our gratitude to the Almighty Creator for providing my wife and I with the opportunity to visit the Kaaba, the House of Allah. 

Even though Sri Lanka, which last year went into default on its foreign debt, is still experiencing the worst economic crisis since gaining independence in 1948, things are starting to get better, as evidenced by the rise in the number of pilgrims going to Saudi Arabia. 

Only 960 people were able to meet their government's requirement to pay in foreign currency in order to travel during the 2022 Hajj season, which occurred during the height of the economic crisis.

Even though more people were able to attend this year, they still needed assistance from others, usually relatives. 

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After months of dealing with skyrocketing inflation, Ibrahim Sahib Ansar, who oversees Hajj logistics at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, claimed that even life savings were frequently insufficient for pilgrims. 

He told Arab News, "It is very difficult to commit a large amount of money for the Hajj pilgrimage, especially during the financial crisis. 

However, Ansar continued, "certain sacrifices to perform Hajj this year were welcomed by many people due to their commitment to fulfil their religious obligation." 

The chance to perform the Hajj finally materialised for schoolteacher Mohammed Yahya Mohammed Muhular, 72, after years of waiting. 

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"I had my savings for the pilgrimage, but a major part of the financing came from my son," he claimed. 

Muhular stated that when he and his wife visit the Kaaba for the first time next week, they will make "sincere prayers" for the resolution of Sri Lanka's financial crisis.