Religion: Moslems

For the first time in 13 centuries, a group of Mohammedans last week made the pilgrimage to Mecca (fifth religious duty of every True Believer) by air.* From Algiers two planes carried 25 Moslems to Mecca for Bairam, solemn annual festival at which every pilgrim sacrifices a ram, a he-goat, a cow or a camel.

These were the first North African pilgrims to make the Haj (pilgrimage) in four years. Because of the war, the French have hitherto banned the trip. The lifting of the ban by the Committee of National liberation is a shrewd gesture much appreciated by French North Africa’s Moslems, who number 18,000,000.

*Duties one to four: repetition of the Moslem reed (Allah is Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet), prayer, almsgiving, fasting during the month of Ramadan.