As reported earlier, the Saudi Arabia Authorities reduced quota both for performing Hajj and Umrah due to the Al-Haram infrastructure reconstruction works which do not stop for any single day. Pilgrims who went for performing Hajj this year share their impressions on organisational novelties and improvements they could try themselves.
Tariq Sarhan: “I’ve been a chaperone for Ukrainian pilgrims for many years already and I can definitely say that those who went for hajj this year were extremely lucky. First of all, everything was much easier without large crowds of people not allowing you to move at least a little faster.
About 2 million of pilgrims came to the valley of Mina this year — in contrary to 5 million last year. Second, the Saudi Arabia not only reduced the quota, but also fenced in the territory in order to minimize the flow of “illegal” pilgrims. People caught while trying to get to the Holy Places of Islam beyond quota were fined if citizens of Saudi Arabia and deported with ban for entering the country for 10 years if foreigners.
And, of course, they did a great deal of work to maintain the Pilgrims’ Camp in order. They arranged regular rubbish removal instead of cleaning the territory after the Hajj is over and the pilgrims lefs as it was earlier, with garbage collecting near the pilgrims’ tents. It was collected in special places this year, pressed and removed, leaving the Tent camp neat and clean.”
Ruslana Martsynishina: “This was the first time my husband and I went to perform Hajj. Of course every Muslim expects a lot when planning this trip, but what you see and feel there is beyond all expectations. This is inerasable, when you feel yourself a guest of Allah almighty and realize the opportunity to try your faith, your sincerity and your will to worship Him. Feeling unity of millions of Muslims is dazzling; it seems that every man is for himself, but at the same time you feel yourself as an integral part of the Ummah where everybody is willing to extend a helping hand and to support you.
Of course it depends on how much you are prepared… Some people obviously tried to “spy out the land” and, at first, made their obligatory prayers shorter and left the sunnah prayers, as if they were on an ordinary trip. But then they realised that the very reason they came there was worshipping the Creator, and from that time on they tried harder and did their best.
Some women put the soft and comfortable mattresses aside and slept right on the ground on a simple blanket, in order not to relax too much and save maximum concentration during their Hajj...”
Volodymyr Fryndak: “There were notably less people this year, and this made performing Hajj much easier. They do a lot of construction works for making the territory of Al-Haram larger and more comfortable for the pilgrims’ needs, and some parts were already open for pilgrims to attend. The whole project huge poster is hanging there, too, so that everybody can see it.
I liked how they took care of the physically disabled and old people this year by settling a special Tawaf bridge for them and some elevators near the Jamarat, too.”
