Since Niyazov`s times, the Turkmen authorities have been trying to limit the circle of people, who are allowed to undertake the Hajj. Every year, only 188 pilgrims (i.e. the passenger capacity of one aircraft), were allowed to do the pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina. This is despite the fact that Saudi Arabia allows Turkmenistan to send 3-4 thousand persons.

Any restriction was beneficial for the officials. Some of them even established their own «business» based on the restrictions. In other words, in order to be included in the 188 people, bribes were demanded. The sum of the bribe was also known: USD 1500 – 2000.

«The Muslims perform Hajj to take communion and pray for their past sins», says a representative of the clergy of the Birat etrap in the north-east of the country, who wished to remain anonymous, with indignation. «And these people are intentionally performing not just a sin but a real crime. They are not even afraid of divine retribution».

Rumours about the bribes to be paid in order to be included on the sacred list of 188 names have been circulating among the Turkmen Muslims for a long time. However, many people refused to believe it, as they were convinced that for such a sacred issue the very thought of giving or taking a bribe was profane!

«For a long time I refused to be included on the list of people who were going to Saudi Arabia», says a resident of the Akdepe village in the Dashoguz velayat. «Every year I was told that I didn’t make it but that next year I would be the first on the list. When the next year came, the velayat`s council on religious matters considered my application, but I was still not put on the list. Only after 3 years of waiting I managed but this only happened after listening to someone’s advice. I followed his instructions, paid 1,5 thousand to an agent, who, as I learnt later, acted jointly with an official from the council on religious matters, and all my problems disappeared on their own».

There are also other facts indicating that the status of hajj (i.e. a person who performed hajj) can be obtained by paying. For instance, there are thousands of those willing to perform this ritual while in reality fewer than 200 persons actual go. In this situation it is incredibly hard to get on to the pilgrims list. However, there are people in every velayat who were «lucky» to be included on this list not just once but several times. Well-being citizens, who do not consider a bribe of 1,5-2 thousand dollars a lot of money have performed hajj repeatedly. This makes others, who have been patiently waiting for the trip to Mecca for years, very confused.

The fact that not everything is running smoothly in the muftiet of Turkmenistan or in the councils on religious matters under the President and velayat`s khyakims, and not all representatives of the clergy are involved in funny business is indirectly confirmed by regular staff reshuffles. R. Allaberdiev, the chief mufti of the country, was demoted and appointed chief imam in the northern Dashoguz velayat, while the chief imam of the Dashoguz velayat M. Akyev was appointed to the same position in the Balkan velayat.

Observers compare the personnel leapfrogs in the muftiet with similar reshuffles of prosecutors and judges, who after working in the same office for a long time and having built up a network of connections and needy acquaintances, set up a similar system of bribery. However, similar to the case of prosecutors and judges, nobody can guarantee that imams and religious officials will stop taking bribes when they change their work place. In Turkmenistan corruption has penetrated all spheres of life, so it is really a heroic act to withdraw from temptation.

As far as the pilgrimage to Mecca is concerned, the way to the Muslim holy places is not absolutely closed. Those, who want to perform hajj on an individual basis, can do it through the tourist agencies. It should be noted, however, that such a trip costs more than a bribe of $2000.

«But this is better and more honest», says a resident of the Keshi village in the outskirts of Ashgabat. «While the money used to be channeled to officials as bribes, now it is payment for the services of tourist agencies».

However, instead of trips to Mecca and Medina, most of Turkmenistani citizens will now go on pilgrimages to sacred places located in Turkmenistan. This is stated in a document signed by the President of the country. The place «Аk ishan» in the Akhal velayat will be the first on the list, where a special sacrificial ceremony will be performed by G. Berdymukhamedov in person.

The local humorists joke: «The document says nothing about whether religious officials, who took bribes for the organization of hajj, will be among the sacrificial lambs».