Members of Canada\u2019s Muslim community say recent tensions between Ottawa and Saudi Arabia are affecting some people\u2019s ability to perform what\u2019s seen in the faith as a fundamental religious right.<\/p>\n
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Members of Canada\u2019s Muslim community say recent tensions between Ottawa and Saudi Arabia are affecting some people\u2019s ability to perform what\u2019s seen in the faith as a fundamental religious right.<\/p>\n
They say many currently embarking on hajj, a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, are anxious about their travel arrangements in light of the simmering spat, which has seen the country\u2019s state airline cancel flights to and from Canada.<\/p>\n
At least one travel agent also says some would-be pilgrims decided not to follow through on their travel plans after tensions between the two countries flared up unexpectedly earlier this month.<\/p>\n
The diplomatic dispute began when Canada\u2019s Ministry of Global Affairs sent a tweet calling for Saudi Arabia to \u201cimmediately release\u201d two women\u2019s rights activists currently detained in jail.<\/p>\n
The kingdom reacted by severing diplomatic ties, suspending future trade, recalling students from Canadian schools and cancelling the state airline\u2019s operations in Canada.<\/p>\n
People in contact with hajj participants say the move involving the airline has complicated return travel plans for many, and add that they are anticipating other post-pilgrimage issues.<\/p>\n
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Members of Canada\u2019s Muslim community say recent tensions between Ottawa and Saudi Arabia are affecting some people\u2019s ability to perform what\u2019s seen in the faith as a fundamental religious right. \u00a0 \u00a0 Members of Canada\u2019s Muslim community say recent tensions between Ottawa and Saudi Arabia are affecting some people\u2019s ability to perform what\u2019s seen in …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":17553,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_108372464460192_245495985553329":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[128,370,752,290,205,208,369,38],"class_list":["post-6290","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-islam","tag-canada","tag-hajj","tag-kingdom","tag-mecca","tag-muslim","tag-ottawa","tag-pilgrimage","tag-saudi-arabia"],"yoast_head":"\n