A successful hajj: Thanks to the Saudi government

Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and the logistics necessary to facilitate it are demanding, requiring enormous resources at every stage of its organisation. In blessed contrast to last year, when an unfortunate disaster caused many hundreds of pilgrims to die, this year's hajj ran very smoothly and safely. The Saudi government deserves the thanks and appreciation of us all for organising such a successful hajj event.

The Saudi Arabian government derives enormous pride from their commitments to serve the Muslim community worldwide and it is to their credit that they have never failed to carry them out. However, organising such an event, on such a colossal scale, requires all the resources and backing that only their government can provide. No local authority, or any consortium of Muslim governments representatives, would be capable of putting the necessary finances or infrastructure in place and any such suggestion that they could presents a recipe for yet another self-created 'mess' in the Islamic world.  We, the Muslim community worldwide, stand shoulder to shoulder with the Saudi government in making the hajj as smooth and peaceful as possible, so that the guests of Al-Rahman can perform their pilgrimage in comfort and with total commitment.

Since the Iranian revolution, continual and ongoing efforts have been made to disrupt the smooth running of the Hajj organisation by politicising certain dogmatic beliefs. Actions such as these can only be seen as attempts to divide the Muslim community, destroy the spiritual purpose of hajj and create protest groups for political gain.

This year the Iranians, after their unreasonable demands regarding the hajj were rejected by the Saudi government, decided to ‘boycott’ the hajj.   All Muslims who come to Makkah to perform their hajj, from whatever country, have equal rights in achieving the spiritual purpose of their journey. During one of my own hajj, some years ago, pilgrims were confronted with blocked roads, the chanting of political slogans by Iranian pilgrims, protests, obstructions and noise, all intended to introduce a complete distraction from what everyone else needed in order to fulfil their religious obligations. The Iranian government and its political pilgrims had and has only one purpose: to create chaos in an attempt to distract the attention of all other pilgrims and to divert them from the sublime purpose of their hajj obligations. 

The Iranians, in yet another display of pique, then decided that their pilgrims would be better off performing hajj in Karbala, a place where history records yet another bloody political carnage took place,  in an attempt to cause further disunity among Muslims. Their decision has made it abundantly clear to all true Muslims how little the hajj means to the Iranian Shiites and how eager they are to ignore and change the meaning of it. In complete contrast, the Saudi Government pays full attention to the true meaning of hajj and provides all the necessary and desirable facilities for its successful completion.

Hajj is not about politics. Yes, it is a religious obligation, where Muslims from all over the world congregate in Makkah and share the best values of the religious purpose of their journey. It is the biggest congregation and international gathering of Muslims and seeks to be as brotherly and friendly as possible. Playing politics and misusing the events of hajj purely for political gain, as the Iranians have and continue to do, is contemptible.

Critics have arisen who continually seek to find some method of discrediting the Saudi Government. Indeed, they are quick to infer that the government makes a huge profit from the organisation of the hajj. No doubt these same critics would like to make the money that they are claiming the government of Saudi Arabia is receiving, but would they be as willing to spend the even greater amounts necessary to ensure a secure hajj? Organising the hajj is a hugely expensive exercise, necessitating the employment of hundreds of thousands of people. Security, safety, comfort, the peaceful environment needed, food, water, accommodation and medical facilities, all demand a considerable enlargement of hajj infrastructures. Nothing is taken for granted or left to chance.

It should be recognised that hajj continues to host ever increasing number of pilgrims in modern times. Demands for larger quotas to cater for the increasing number of pilgrims are coming from more and more countries. More people wishing to perform their hajj requires more facilities on the ground and further raises the need for the maintenance of safety and security of pilgrims. The Saudi government dedicates itself for the service of this spiritual cause to the very best of their abilities. We Muslims, worldwide, should be privileged to support the Saudi government and its people, who continue to give of their best in helping pilgrims, who, in their turn, endeavour to accomplish one of the five pillars of Islam, which can only be completed in Makkah.

The Saudi government spends billions of Riyals to facilitate the hajj. They mobilise a huge number of Saudi citizens to come to Makkah to serve the pilgrims, which they do selflessly. The entire government machinery moves to Makkah to make hajj a complete success. We Muslims need to be grateful for the peace and comfort provided and for experiencing the best outcome from our journey for hajj. Do we need to change the way the hajj is run? Do we need to further disunite the congregation of pilgrims from all around the world? We are fragmented enough, thanks to the failed political ambitions of certain groups who are mindlessly destroying the fabric of Muslim society and violating the sacredness of Islamic places.

The Saudi government deserves all our applause for the blessed outcome of this year’s hajj organisation. Credit must be given where due and thanks must be offered where it is deserved. May Allah save this hajj gathering and the successful organisation of it by the Saudi government and its people from the jealousy and evil eyes of its political and religious opponents. Ameen