MAKKAH — Rahmah Shabanah, one of the first female mutawifs (Haj guides) in the Kingdom, has spent about 58 years in the service of pilgrims. She has turned 80 and is now confined to King Fahd Armed Forces Hospital in Jeddah for treatment from old-age ailments.
Shabanah has built herself a big name even among men for serving the guests of God. She has been in the tuwafa business since it was provided on requests until six tuwafa establishments were especially established to serve pilgrims from all over the world.
When she was young, Shabanah used to travel abroad to conclude agreements with pilgrims looking for tuwafa services. She would welcome them upon arrival and provide them with services until the end of the Haj season.
Her daughter Janbi, who herself is a mutawif for the Southeast Asian pilgrims, said her mother was among the few mutawifs who provided on the field service to the pilgrims.
She said her mother also helped other women mutawifs by resolving heir problems and forwarding their demands to the concerned authorities.
"About a month ago, my mother met with a number of Makkawi women mutawifs at her home and discussed with them ways and means of further promoting the tuwafa services for the welfare of pilgrims," she said.
The daughter said her mother was the first to ask for women mutawifs to enter into the elections for the membership of the boards of directors of the tuwafa establishments. "Previously, this was the sole right of men," she added.
Janbi said even at her hospital bed, her mother was very much occupied with the tuwafa business. She said her mother is currently studying the social status of a number of women mutawifs to resolve them.
"My mother is now looking for women social workers to establish special divisions for social services in each tuwafa establishment," she said. In the name of her mother, Janbi called on all the six tuwafa establishments to establish special women committees to look after the affairs of the women pilgrims.
She said her mother was also calling for the appointment of women mutawifs on their own personal merits and not to give them this job as inheritance from their fathers or husbands.
