41. What is your view on the Hajj
subsidy that was rolled back by
the Government?

This is a correct thing to do. Hajj is a form of worship. It should only be performed if it is within one’s capacity to do so; it is not an act of compulsion. The principle elucidated for Hajj is that it should be done by one who is able to complete the trip and has adequate resources to manage it. The Quran says:

Pilgrimage to the House is a duty to God for anyone who is able to undertake it. (Quran 3:97)

This means if you have the means to go to Makkah and return home, then performance of Hajj is an obligatory duty and should be undertaken, else not. If the Hajj subsidy was a gesture by the Government to begin with, then its rolling-back should also be accepted. The Government has pledged to use the money in education, which is a bigger issue confronting our society.