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MECCA: Of the lots of of 1000’s of Muslims arriving in Mecca this week for the annual Haj pilgrimage, maybe none had a extra arduous journey than Adam Mohammed, a 53-year-old electrical engineer from the UK.
Mohammed, who’s of Iraqi-Kurdish origin, determined final yr to journey on foot to Saudi Arabia, a journey of greater than 7,000 km that took him by means of 9 international locations earlier than he crossed over from Jordan into the northwestern Saudi city of Tabuk.
The journey was made all of the extra dramatic by the truth that when he began his trek 11 months in the past, pushing a cart in entrance of him that contained his meals and different provides, he had no concept whether or not he would be capable to entry the holy mosques in Mecca and Medina.
It was solely in April that Saudi Arabia, which barred abroad pilgrims in 2020 and 2021 as a part of efforts to mitigate the coronavirus pandemic, introduced that a million worshippers, together with 850,000 from overseas, would be capable to take part this yr.
Now safely in Mecca, some 15 kg lighter than when he began, Mohammed has no regrets.
“I cried after I first arrived. It is an unbelievable feeling,” he stated.
“My journey was exhausting. I finished in lots of locations for relaxation. However I used to be centered on one factor: I’m 53 years outdated, so what if I spare 11 months on the highway to achieve the home of God? It is doable.”
Mohammed stated Saudi authorities granted him and his spouse and two daughters, who’ve flown from the UK to the dominion, a allow to take part within the Haj.
A lot of the different foreigners performing Haj have been chosen by way of a lottery system.
Pandemic restrictions pressured numerous would-be pilgrims primarily based outdoors Saudi Arabia to place their plans on maintain.
Normally one of many world’s largest spiritual gatherings, about 2.5 million individuals participated in 2019, earlier than the pandemic started. The next yr, foreigners have been blocked and the entire variety of worshippers was capped at 10,000 to cease the Haj from turning into a world super-spreader.
That determine rose to 60,000 totally vaccinated Saudi residents and residents in 2021.
The ban on abroad pilgrims induced deep disappointment amongst Muslims worldwide, who usually save for years to participate. Although the quantity is way increased this yr, there are nonetheless some restrictions: members should be aged below 65 who’re totally vaccinated and might submit a adverse Covid-19 PCR consequence from a check taken inside 72 hours of journey.
The Haj formally started on Wednesday, and Mecca is already overrun with worshippers who, like Mohammed, are relieved to have lastly reached their vacation spot after lengthy, traumatic waits.
A 30-year-old Russian pilgrim who gave her identify as Halima stated she had been imagining her keep in Mecca for greater than a decade. The Haj prices at the least $5,000 per individual and Halima stated she shared her story with associates to drum up funds for each her and her father to come back.
— AFP
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