Tag Archives: Hajj 2026

That is at times the setting, in this case the Hajj in Makkah is this year one of the largest ever. Arab News gives us ‘Hajj pilgrim numbers surpass 2025 arrivals despite Middle East war’ (at https://www.arabnews.com/node/2644824/saudi-arabia), and as Saudi Arabia still stands under attack by Iran, the religious setting goes on. I am one to state that Iran has no business to attack Saudi Arabia ever, and especially not in the Hajj season which is supposed to happen between May 25th 2026 and May 30th 2026. 

So as we are given “Over 1.5 million pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia from outside the kingdom for Hajj, according to a Saudi official, exceeding the number of international visitors last year despite the war in the Middle East.” With the additional ““The total number of pilgrims arriving from abroad has reached 1,518,153,” Saleh Al-Murabba, the commander of Saudi Arabia’s Hajj Passport Forces, told a press conference late Friday.”So whatever the setting is, the faithful are giving us “For Fadel, there was never any doubt in his mind that he would attend this year’s Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia despite the war and a US government travel advisory. “Even if the war were still ongoing, I would not have backed out,” the 49-year-old US national, who asked that only his first name be used, told AFP. “We are undoubtedly in the safest place in the world,” he added, referring to a passage from the Qur’an.” It warms my heart that the convictions of a person who if faithful believes himself to be safe,  no matter what religion he/she practices. 

So as we are given “As more than a million pilgrims poured into the holy city ahead of the Hajj, the breadth and diversity of the global Islamic community was on vivid display, with many carrying paraphernalia such as bags and umbrellas showing their country of origin. “This is an opportunity that comes once in a life and I decided not to miss it,” said Ibrahim Diab, a 63-year-old German national, despite the “shaky situation in the Gulf.” But even amid the euphoric atmosphere in Makkah ahead of the Hajj, some pilgrims said fears about the war had troubled them ahead of the journey.” We see that it will take very little for the entire muslim world to focus their anger on Iran, Iran has no friends left and when the gulf states focus their anger on Iran, the people that come under attack might want to go to hell (or Jahannam), they might want to go there for a cool vacation until the dust settles. We get ‘More than 1.5 million pilgrims brave fierce Mecca heat ahead of Hajj’ from Al Jazeera (at https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2026/5/23/more-than-1-5-million-pilgrims-brave-fierce-mecca-heat-ahead-of-hajj) where we see “Pilgrims beat the heat by sheltering under umbrellas and drinking plenty of water as temperatures in Mecca near 47°C during the Hajj, which runs from 24 to 29 May. Saudi Arabia expanded shaded areas at the Holy Mosques fivefold since 2024, when extreme heat claimed the lives of more than 1,300.” I partially disagree with that. Yes, there were 1,300 lives were lost, but the bulk of that were people traveling without a Hajj permit, as such they were denied the facilities that the Hajj permit holders have and Saudi Arabia has no choice when they have to tend to over 1.5 million people as well as the fact that those without a Hajj permit were not allowed on busses and in shaded places for people to rest, as well as access to medical places on the journey. Still, for an organisation to get less than 0.1% of the casualties is almost unheard of. That is near perfection of a system that tends to over a million people in 5 days. It is a pity that no one focusses on that and the we take out the illegal Hajj participant, the serviceability of the Saudi System has a mere 0.02% casualty setting, I have never seen a system this refined and this close to perfect. 

But there is more to having faith and Muslims will see that as they take their 5 day journey. They are only required to do this once in a lifetime, but at times I wonder who have done more than once, and what is the highest attendance rate of a person? I could not find any numbers, but that was a mere curiosity of me. You see, the Hajj includes pilgrims walking a total of 40 to 60+ kilometers. Which is quite the trek even under nominal conditions. Yet, at 40+ degrees (Celsius) it is not a nominal setting, it is a brutal attack on the senses and as such the Saudi System with a mere 0.02% casualty is almost too unbelievable to consider. As such there is no doubt that those attending the Hajj is a faith level non muslims might find hard to comprehend.

Have a great day.