The spectre of Gaza hovers over pilgrims to Mecca for the Hajj

Over 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 "politicisation" of the event that 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 have returned. 

Riyadh (AsiaNews) - More than one and a half million pilgrims (the official figure released today by Riyadh speaks of 1,547,295 people) have reached Mecca, the heart of Islam, to take part in the annual major pilgrimage (Hajj), which every believer must make at least once in his life.

An appointment that begins tomorrow and marked, this year, by the war launched by Israel against Hamas in Gaza, in response to the terrorist attack of 7 October, 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 focus of the event must be on prayers and religious rituals, leaving aside any claims of a different nature: last week, in fact, the Saudi minister for the Hajj and the umrah Tawfiq al-Rabiah had warned that "no activity of a political nature will be tolerated".

In addition to the unknown heat, with temperatures expected to average around 44 degrees and the risk of health problems - last year more than 2,000 people suffered from heatstroke, exhaustion, cramps and skin rashes - the big question is related to Gaza: the war launched by Israel against Hamas, emphasises Umer Karim, an expert on Saudi affairs at the University of Birmingham, has created "a widespread sense of anger in the Muslim world in general", turning the Hajj into a "test" for Riyadh's leadership.

There is fear of protests by individuals or groups, he continues, and the kingdom's leadership understands that 'this is a slippery slope'. 'For the Saudi rulers, therefore, conducting the Hajj,' the scholar concludes, 'is a matter of prestige, but also a test of their governance'.

Saudi Arabia has never recognised Israel, but Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler, was considering establishing formal diplomatic ties with Israel before the 7 October attack.

However, officials reiterate that ties are impossible without 'irrevocable' steps towards the recognition of a Palestinian state, which Israel has long opposed. In recent days, Saudi King Salman issued a decree to host one 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 official news agency reported.

In recent days, the 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 start of the twelfth and final month of the Islamic calendar, Dhu al-Hijjah, in which the pilgrimage falls. It involves a series of rituals to be performed over four days in and around Mecca.

The highlight is on 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 feast of Eid al-Adha 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 next few hours.

In 2019, nearly 2.5 million Muslims performed the Hajj before the coronavirus pandemic disrupted gatherings (religious and otherwise) around the world, bringing even the most important Islamic pilgrimage to a halt.

The first unrestricted Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic was held in 2023, attended by over 1.8 million worshippers who completed the various rituals. Of these, about 90 per cent were from abroad, according to official statistics provided by the government.  

Moreover, major and minor pilgrimages to Mecca (Hajj and Umrah) represent a substantial source of income for Riyadh, which under Crown Prince Mbs has embarked on an ambitious reform programme to free the economy from oil revenues.

The flow of tourists and believers to the holy places of Islam guarantees revenues of over 12 billion dollars every year, for an event that in addition to the religious element has a profound value from an economic and political point of view, as well as 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 a lifetime. In the past it has been used by Riyadh as a political weapon, denying entry visas and participation 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 in the crowd caused at least 2,300 casualties; in 2006, more than 360 pilgrims died during the stoning ritual, in which stones and pebbles are thrown at three tombstones symbolising the rejection of Satan; in 1989, a double attack outside the great mosque caused one death and 16 wounded, and 16 Kuwaitis were executed for the attack. 

Finally, for the first time in 10 years there is the return of thousands of Syrians: pilgrims will be able to participate in the Hajj after the interruption linked to the conflict that flared up in 2011, thanks in part to the decision of Arab leaders to welcome President Bashar al-Assad back under their sphere of influence, despite having fought him bitterly during the bloodiest years of the war. Last year, Riyadh re-established ties with Damascus and in May appointed its own diplomatic representative to return to occupy the Saudi embassy in Syria.

To facilitate the arrival, direct flights between Damascus and Jeddah have also resumed, as 84-year-old Berlanta Dimashqiya points out while preparing for the ritual: "I am extremely happy. I still can't believe,' the elderly man told Reuters, 'that I will participate in the Hajj'. With him, at least 7,000 Syrians have already made their way 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 good, as are our planes." Behind the reassurances are the repeated attacks in recent years by the Israeli Air Force, which has also struck the Syrian airport on several occasions.