Ahmad Eric, a Turkish farmer from the town of Kutahia, first started saving for the Haj pilgrimage 43 years ago and stuck to his daily regime of work and thriftiness to overcome the financial responsibilities of a wife and now grown-up children. Ahmad provided for them while continuing to follow his father's advice in denying himself worldly luxuries in order to reach his goal, and three consecutive attempts at the Haj lottery failed. This year, however, his luck was in, and he was chosen to conduct the pilgrimage with his wife. When the Haj and Tawafa groups for Turkish, European, Australian and American Muslims in Madina found out about his story of determination and resolution they held a banquet in his honor. Ridah Bin Rashad Aujami, Chairman of the Tawafa Establishment for Turkish, European, Australian and American Muslims, presented Ahmad with a commemorative gift at the event. “Our tasks at Tawafa establishments are not just receiving and looking after pilgrims,” Aujami said. “We also have a wider humanitarian role as shown by the banquet given to Ahmad, a token of recognition for his determination to perform Haj from the time of his youth.”
