KAMULI.
The Mufti of Uganda Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubajje has urged Muslims—particularly those living in rural areas—to utilize their personal resources, such as land, to generate funds that can cover all necessary expenses, including visa and air ticket to fulfill their religious obligation of performing the Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam.
The Mufti’s message was delivered on his behalf by Sheikh Abdu-Barri Muhammad Kaloozi, the Secretary for Zakat and Swadaqa Distributions at the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC), during a thanksgiving function organized by the family of Haj Ali Kintu. The event took place on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at Kinawampere village, Namwendwa County in Kamuli District.
Sheikh Kaloozi was part of the delegation from the UMSC Hajj and Umrah Department, led by Sheikh Ali Juma Shiwuyu, that accompanied Ugandan Muslim pilgrims to the Holy Sanctuaries in Mecca and Madinah for the 2025 Haj rituals.
The well-attended function drew a large crowd, including high-profile personalities such as Mr Nasser Musa Odongkara, the Head of Awqaf- endowment department, Sheikh Muzamir Nsubuga, Member of General Assembly for Entebbe Muslim District, Sheikh Ismail Kazibwe, the Khadi of Kamuli Muslim District; Mr Morris Kibalya, the area Member of Parliament; local government leaders; Sheikhs; and Imams.
In his address, Sheikh Kaloozi emphasized that Muslims in rural areas have equal opportunities to perform Hajj as those in urban centers, who are often perceived as wealthier.
“It is well known that Hajj is obligatory upon every Muslim who is physically and financially able.
Muslims in the countryside who own land should not see themselves as poor. Instead, they should be reminded that by selling part of their land, they can fulfill this once-in-a-lifetime obligation.
Performing Hajj brings immense spiritual blessings, wards off poverty, and earns the believer a place in Paradise,” he said.
He commended the children of Hajj Ali Kintu for sponsoring their father’s pilgrimage and advised the wider Muslim community to begin preparations for Haj 2026 early, emphasizing that payments should be completed by December 2025.
Earlier in the function, several speakers addressed the gathering. Sheikh Ismail Kazibwe, the host Khadi , encouraged Hajj Ali Kintu and other returning pilgrims to live exemplary lives:
“You have seen it all in Mecca . Go forth and propagate the Islamic faith within your communities,” he advised.
Mr Kibalya pledged to sponsor Muslim clerics for future Hajj pilgrimages.
Haj Ali Kintu, accompanied by fellow pilgrims—including Sheikh Habib Kikabi, the Khadi of Nakasongola Muslim District, and Sheikh Palapande, the Deputy Khadi of Mayuge—shared their personal experiences from the journey with the attentive audience.