More than one and a half million Muslim faithful have already arrived at the holy places of Islam. From Riyadh, an absolute ban on protests over the war in the Strip or the “politicization” of the event, which must remain religious. The health of the participants is a hot topic. For the first time in a decade, and since the beginning of the conflict, thousands of Syrians are returning.
Riyadh () – More than one and a half million pilgrims (the official figure released today by Riyadh speaks of 1,547,295 people) have arrived in Mecca, the heart of Islam, to participate in the great annual pilgrimage (Hajj), which Every believer must do it at least once in their life. An event that begins tomorrow and marked, this year, by the war launched by Israel against Hamas in Gaza, in response to the terrorist attack of October 7, which has already caused the death of almost 38 thousand Palestinians in the Strip. However, at least according to the intentions of the Saudi authorities, the event should focus on prayers and religious rituals, leaving aside any claims of another nature: last week, in fact, the Saudi minister for Hajj and Umrah , Tawfiq al-Rabiah, had warned that “any activity of a political nature will not be tolerated.”
In addition to the unknown heat, with temperatures expected to be around 44 degrees on average, and the risk of health problems – last year more than 2,000 people suffered heat stroke, exhaustion, cramps and skin rashes – the great unknown is related with Gaza: the war launched by Israel against Hamas, underlines Umer Karim, an expert on Saudi affairs at the University of Birmingham, has created “a widespread feeling of anger in the Muslim world in general”, turning the Hajj into a “test” for the leaders of Riyadh. Protests by individuals or groups are feared, he continues, and the kingdom’s leaders understand that “it is a slippery slope.” For the Saudi rulers, therefore, performing the Hajj,” the academic concludes, “is a matter of prestige, but also a test of their governance.”
Saudi Arabia has never recognized Israel, but Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler, was considering establishing formal diplomatic ties with Israel before the Oct. 7 attack. However, officials reiterate that ties are impossible without “irrevocable” steps toward recognition of a Palestinian state, which Israel has long opposed. In recent days, Saudi King Salman issued a decree to host a thousand pilgrims “from the families of the martyrs and wounded in the Gaza Strip,” bringing the number of Palestinian guests this year to 2,000, the agency reported. news officer.
In recent days, Saudi authorities have set June 14 as the start of the Hajj, after the country’s astronomical observatories detected the crescent moon; At the same time, the Supreme Court established the beginning of the twelfth and final month of the Islamic calendar, Dhu al-Hijjah, in which the pilgrimage falls. It consists of a series of rituals that must be performed for four days in Mecca and its surroundings. The highlight is the second day, when pilgrims pray on Mount Arafat, where Muhammad delivered his last sermon. The visit will take place on the 15th and the Eid al-Adha holiday will fall on the following day. Minister al-Rabiah said that “about 1.2 million pilgrims from various countries” have already arrived and more are expected to arrive in the coming hours.
In 2019, nearly 2.5 million Muslims performed the Hajj before the coronavirus pandemic disrupted gatherings (religious and otherwise) around the world, paralyzing even the most important Islamic pilgrimage. In 2023, the first Covid-19 was celebrated without restrictions since the start of the pandemic, attended by more than 1.8 million faithful who completed the various rituals. Of them, about 90% came from abroad, according to official statistics provided by the government.
In addition, major and minor pilgrimages to Mecca (Hajj and Umrah) represent an important source of income for Riyadh, which under Crown Prince Mbs has undertaken an ambitious reform program to free the economy from oil revenues. The flow of tourists and believers to the holy places of Islam guarantees an income of more than 12,000 million dollars each year, for an event that, in addition to the religious element, has a profound value from an economic and political point of view, in addition to representing a critical moment in terms of security.
The Hajj is one of the five pillars of the faith, and every Muslim is obliged to perform it at least once in their life. In the past, Riyadh has used it as a political weapon, denying entry and participation visas to Iranian (Shia) or Syrian believers. It has also been the scene of incidents or attacks, resulting in thousands of deaths: in 2015, a stampede among the crowd caused at least 2,300 victims; In 2006, more than 360 pilgrims died during the stoning ritual, in which stones and pebbles are thrown at three tombstones symbolizing the rejection of Satan; In 1989, a double attack in front of the Great Mosque left one dead and 16 injured, and 16 Kuwaitis were executed for the attack.
Finally, for the first time in 10 years, thousands of Syrians are returning: pilgrims will be able to participate in the Hajj after the interruption linked to the conflict that broke out in 2011, thanks in part to the decision of Arab leaders to put under its sphere of influence to President Bashar al-Assad, despite having fought him bitterly during the bloodiest years of the war. Last year, Riyadh restored ties with Damascus and in May appointed its own diplomatic representative to return to the Saudi embassy in Syria. To facilitate the arrival, direct flights between Damascus and Jeddah have also resumed, as Berlanta Dimashqiya, 84, points out as she prepares for the ritual: “I am extremely happy. I still can’t believe,” the old man told Reuters. “let him go to participate in the Hajj.” Along with him, at least 7,000 Syrians have already set out on the road to Mecca in recent weeks, as confirmed by the director general of the Syrian Civil Aviation, Bassem Mansour. “Our equipment and airports are safe, our runways are fine, and so are our planes.” Behind these reassuring words are the repeated attacks in recent years by the Israeli Air Force, which has also hit the Syrian airport on several occasions.
Add Comment