Our journey began from Riyadh where I had flown in early Dhul Hijjah.

With only a few days

remaining we prepared for our journey to Taif , the Miat for the !ilgrims from the "ajd region.
On#e we arri$ed in Taif we #hanged into our Ihrams whi#h is one of the pre#onditions for those
who want to perform Umrah or Hajj. We made the Niyyah to perform Hajj and made Dua to
%llah &swt' to a##ept our Hajj. %fter that we left Taif for Ma((ah.
We arri$ed in Ma((ah on the )
th
and by afternoon we rea#hed Mina where Hujjaj &*ing+Haji,
!ilgrim' are to stay o$ernight. Mina has a mountainous terrain and mostly #o$ered with
mountains, a##ess to it is $ia roads made by ma(ing tunnels into the mountains. *ome of them
are as long as - (ilometers. There are separate tunnels for $ehi#les and those who prefer to wal(.
Most of the plains of Mina ha$e been #o$ered with Tents whi#h are permanently ere#ted. O$er .
Million Haji/s stay in this otherwise empty town during this night and the three days after
returning from Mu0dalifah.
We arri$ed in Mina and rested until later in the midnight after whi#h we wo(e up for Tahajjud
and prepared for our departure to %rafah.
%rafah is about 1 2m from Mina and it was further from our #amping ground In Mina, We left
on foot for %rafat and wal(ed a$er - (m beyond the borders of Mina and towards Mu0dalifah
from where we were able to board a lorry whi#h was going to %rafah. The lorry dri$er made it an
opportunity to ma(e money and #harged e$ery one boarding the ba#( of his lorry. 3hildren,
elders, women e$eryone jumped into the ba#( of the lorry and we left for %rafah.
Traffi# management in most of the pilgrimage sites is poor and roads are narrow and there is a
la#( of adeuate Transport *ystems.
The dri$er dropped us at the boundary of %rafah from where we wal(ed into %rafah. While we
wal(ed we #ould see so many buses stu#( in ueues to enter %rafah. There were a spe#ial lane
for the (ings guest from different #ountries, e$ery now and then we would see %rmoured
#on$oys speed up on that road. We later saw them entering a high fen#ed #ompound ne4t to the
Masjid , this was the guest house for the 2ings 5uests.
The Messenger of %llah &salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam' said+ 6 6 or 6Hajj is %rafah6.
The %rabi# te4t implies a $ery important #on#ept of the meaning of Hajj. This short statement
means that the whole hajj and its $alidity is #onfined in the a#tual day of %rafah i.e. Hajj
be#omes $alid only when the day of %rafah is obser$ed and witnessed by those who underta(e
the journey, the pilgrims. Regardless how long the hujjaj stay in Ma((ah, if they missed that
single day, they ha$e then missed the whole Hajj.
In %rafah we attempted at staying #lose to Masjid "amira so as to follow the *unnah of the
prophet of praying at "amira. The Messenger of %llah, upon his arri$al to Arafah, #amped
outside the plains of Arafah prior to the time of Dhuhr in the lo#ation where
the Masjid of Namira is now built, on#e #alled Wadi Urana.
7nli(e the ba#( part of the masjid today, the front part of the masjid is a#tually outside the
boundaries of Arafah where the Messenger had deli$ered his khutbah or sermon. When he
finished deli$ering the sermon, the Messenger &salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam' lead the hajj
#ongregation in #ombined prayer between Dhuhr and Asr, then he mo$ed inside the plains
of Arafah until the end of the day.
When the time for prayer approa#hed, *he(h %bdul %0i0 %al *he(h deli$ered a sermon to
remind the #ongregation who gathered in Masjid Namira and the surrounding areas with what is
(nown as the sermon of Arafah. The adhan or #all for the prayer was then announ#ed,
the Imam then lead the #ongrgation in Dhuhr and Asr prayer #ombined and shortened, ea#h
performed in units of two rakah with one adhan and two Iqamas.
I was saddened by the fa#t the Imam did not e$en on#e ma(e dua for the Muslims suffering all
o$er the world. %t a time when e$ery day there were 899/s being but#hered in *yria, the Imam
did not e$en ma(e a mention of *yria during the dua, although he did ma(e dua for the 2ing and
the #rown prin#e and the se#urity for#es. He e$en #alled the 2ing of *audi %rabia the Imam Al
Muslimeen &the Imam of %ll Muslims'.
The title although strange seemed li(e a politi#al maneu$er so as to establish spiritual suprema#y
of the *audi (ing o$er all the Muslims, it was not $ery une4pe#ted after ha$ing the pre$ious (ing
#hange his name from alalatil mali( :ahd &his Majesty 2ing :ahd' to the 3ustodian of the two
holy Mosues so as to impro$e his image at home spe#ially after it was tainted with se$eral
#ontro$ersies abroad, one whi#h in#luded losing ; million dollars in a night at a 3asino.
The title Imam Al Muslimeen is a(in to %meer %l Mumineen, the title of the 2halifah of the
Muslims. The s#holars/ titling the head of a state whi#h implements "on Islami# poli#ies in most
of its Ministries < departments reminded me of the saying of Imam %bu Hanifa+ 6When you see
the s#holar at the door of the ruler, then #urse him in his deen, #urse him in his deen , #urse him
in his deen.=
The *audi Ruling system is a hereditary system in origin established by the >ritish in return of
their support for their war against the Ottoman 3aliphate. %lthough formally the ?uran is said to
be the #onstitution and the @aw, but little preferen#e is gi$en to it. *audi %rabia legali0ed Riba In
8.); H when the (ing issued an edi#t whi#h #an be found under the referen#e.,*e#tion >, arti#le
8 of the *audi law, issued by the (ing/s edi#t no.MAB in 8.); %H. This allowed the formation and
operation of !iba based ban(s and they are now they #an be seen e$erywhere, e$en ne4t to the
Mosue in Ma((ah, The *audi :ren#h ban(, the *audi hollandi ban(, the *audi %meri#an ban(
and many others.
%nd so that the shari/ah #ourts would not interfere in the wor(ing of these ban(s, espe#ially the
!iba based transa#tions, the, *har/i #ourts were prohibited from interfering in su#h #ases under
the 6*pe#ialisation= law &arti#les -9 and -8 from #hapter . of the *ystem of *audi %rab %rmy'.
%fter the salah, the plains of Arafah transformed into a #ompletely different sight, hundreds of
thousands of people reali0ed the imminen#e of the end of this blessed day and hen#e engaged in
a passionate and $igorous dua and festi$ity of praise and suppli#ation.
!eople stood and sat e$erywhere, on the side of the road, on the mountain of !ahmah and on the
top of their #ars and buses raising their hands and $oi#es with dua and shedding tears and
worries in a hope that they will be forgi$en all their sins.
There is no day better in the sight of %llah than the Day of Arafah. On this day %llah des#ends to
the nearest hea$en in a manner that suits His Majesty, and He is proud of His sla$es on the earth
and says to those in hea$en, 6@oo( at My ser$ants. They ha$e #ome from far and near, with hair
dishe$eled and fa#es #o$ered with dust, to see( My mer#y, e$en though they ha$e not seen My
#hastisement. :ar more people are freed from the Hellfire on the Day of Arafah than on any other
day.= &%bu Ca/la, Ibn 2h0ayma, al,>a00ar and Ibn Hibban'
%bu %d,Darda reported that the !rophet &salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam' said, 6On no other day
does the *atan feel so belittled, humiliated, and angry as he does on the Day ofArafah.= The
reason for this is the mer#y of %llah that des#ends this day and the forgi$eness that He grants to
people for major sins, e4#ept the day of the battle of "adr, whi#h witnessed a far greater mer#y
of %llah des#ending upon people, whi#h #aused great sadness to *atan.
I felt ashamed of the situation of the 7mmah and was disturbed by the Imams beha$ior. %fter the
prayer I made Dua for the 7mmah, I as(ed %llah &swt' to forgi$e us and bless us with his mer#y.
I as(ed %llah &swt' that he return among us a sin#ere ruler, a 2halifah li(e the 2halifah of the
prophet &saw' who would implement his deen among us, who would ta(e #are of the affairs of
the Muslims and not let their blood flow free. I made dua for *yria and as(ed %llah &swt' to
destroy >ashar and his #ompanions, that %llah &swt' fails the plans of the west to repla#e him
with another stooge. %nd that *yria, the blessed land of sham was turned in the starting point of
the establishment of the Islami# state. I made dua that %llah &swt' that he forgi$e my sins and
that of my !arents and the 7mmah.
We #ontinued with the dua until just before the sunset when we pa#(ed to lea$e.
We left for the plains of Mu0dalifah after sunset. We de#ided to wal( till the border of %rafah and
from there we boarded a similar lorry li(e we had done the when we #ame to %rafah. In about .9
minutes we arri$ed at Mu0dalifah. We had arri$ed mu#h earlier than e$eryone else and so most
of the plains were empty.
We later reali0ed we were lu#(y to rea#h so early, those who had ta(en the offi#ial buses
pro$ided by their hajj organi0ers only rea#hed se$eral hours later, some as late as 8- %m. It too(
them almost ; hours to #o$er 1 (mD
Those who too( the Metro Rail were in no better position. The Metro Rail was a #haos with no
proper management. O$er B9 people died in the ensuing stampede at the Metro *tation.
The a0an for Isha *alah has just begun as we arri$ed at the Masjid Masharil Haram. %llah &swt'
says+

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6There is no blame upon you for see(ing bounty from your @ord Eduring HajjF. >ut when you
depart from G%rafat, remember %llah at al, MashGar al,Haram. %nd remember Him, as He has
guided you, for indeed, you were before that among those astray.= ETM? -+8H)F
We #amped near the masjid and freshened up and prepared for *alah. %fter that we some food
and rested for a few hours.
Mu0dalifah has a real la#( of fa#ilities su#h as hygieni# food and bathroom fa#ilities. Most of the
food was being sold by pri$ate $endors and there were not enough $endors for the mammoth
population that was going to stay here o$ernight. The bathrooms were not adeuate and many
didn/t e$en ha$e water. !eople ueued up at the restrooms, it was a nightmare going to the toilet
be#ause at ea#h toilet there was a ueue of 89 peopleD
We rested until before :ajr and then wo(e for tahajjud and freshened up for *alah.
%fter :ajr we left for Mina, most of our Iourney now was to be on foot. We wal(ed o$er ; (m to
our #amp where we had left some of our #lothes before we left for %rafah. We pi#(ed some new
#lothes to #hange into after sha$ing our heads and headed off for the Iamarat.
The rites for this day the 89
th
of Dhil Hijjah begin with throwing the pebbles, followed by
offering the sa#rifi#e, sha$ing oneGs head, performing a tawaf around 2aGbah. Obser$an#e of
these rites in this seuen#e is sunnah. If one of these is performed before or after another there is
no harm, a##ording to most s#holars.
This is the standpoint of %sh,*hafiGi based on a hadith reported by %bdullah bin G%mr who said+
JThe !rophet &pea#e be upon him' stood in Mina during the :arewell Hajj, while the people
as(ed him uestions and he answered them. % man as(ed, GO !rophet of %llahD I was not alert
and I sha$ed my head before slaughtering my animalKG The !rophet &pea#e be upon him' said,
GThere is no harm, go and slaughter your animal.G %nother man as(ed, GI slaughtered the animal
before I threw the pebblesKG The !rophet &pea#e be upon him' told him, GThere is no harm. 5o
and throw the pebbles.GJ The narrator said+ JWhoe$er as(ed the !rophet &pea#e be upon him'
about anything done before or after the other he told him G"o harm done. 5o and do &whate$er
you missed'.JG
%bu Hanifah is of the opinion that if someone failed to obser$e the proper seuen#e in
performing these rites, and he did delay or pre#ede a rite, he must offer a sa#rifi#e, interpreting
the words Jno harm doneJ of the !rophet &pea#e be upon him' to mean that su#h a person is not
guilty of any sin, but nonetheless su#h a person has to slaughter an additional animal in
atonement.
amarat was not $ery far from where we were stationed, it was about . (m and too( us another
hour or so to rea#h the amarat. The sight at amarat was #ompletely different from what it
loo(ed ) years ago when I had pre$iously performed Hajj. The pillars had been ele$ated by
se$eral meters and they were widened and were a##essible by B different paths and ea#h of them
would lead to a different floor. %ltogether there were B floors and the amarat area was installed
with powerful %ir 3oolers whi#h #ooled the amarat area.
The planning at the amarat was ama0ing and was done with lot of wisdom e4#ept that the
pathways leading to and from the amarat were an utter #onfusion and no !oli#eman was able to
guide the people in a proper way. %nyone entering the amarat on#e e4iting had to ta(e a 8(m
detour so as to rea#h his original position and this was all while wal(ing. The *audi/s too( o$er
8B years of a##idents, stampedes and deaths to reali0e that the amarat had management issues,
although now they had ta(en the initiati$e of restru#turing the amarat but still had failed to
resol$e its management.
The origin of the ritual of throwing the pebbles #omes from Ibrahim &as'+ %l,>aihai reported
from *alim bin %bi %l,IGad that Ibn G%bbas said that the !rophet &pea#e be upon him' said+
JWhen %braham &pea#e be upon him' wanted to perform the Hajj rites, *atan blo#(ed his way
near G%abah. &Iamarah %l,%abah is on the left side inside MinaL the Iamarah %l,Wusta &the
Middle Iamarah' is at about 88,;11 meters from the first one, while Iamarah %l,*ughra &the
*mallest Iamarah' is 8,B;M meters further from the middle one' %braham threw se$en pebbles at
him whereupon the *atan sun( into the ground. %gain the *atan appeared to him near the se#ond
Iamarah. %braham threw se$en pebbles at him and he again sun( into the ground. On#e again the
*atan approa#hed him near the third Iamarah, and again %braham threw se$en pebbles at him
and on#e again the *atan sun( into the ground.J Ibn G%bbas added, JCou throw pebbles at the
*atan, and &in doing so' you follow the path of your &great' forefather %braham &pea#e be upon
him'.J %l,Mun0hri said+ JThis is reported by Ibn 2hu0aimah in his *ahih and by %l,Ha(im, and
it is sound a##ording to their #riterion.J
Imam 5ha0ali e4plains the wisdom of throwing the pebbles, in his %l,Ihya he says+ J%s to the
throwing of the pebbles, it is an e4pression of the throwerGs intention to obey %llahGs
#ommandment, and a demonstration of his humility and ser$itude to Him. It signifies #omplian#e
with di$ine #ommandment without any tra#e therein of any selfish pleasure, sensuous or
intelle#tual.
On#e we had thrown the 1 pebbles at the amaratil Aqaba# we left for Ma((ah to perform the
Tawaf Al Ifadah. Ma((ah is about ; (ms from the amarat. We wal(ed most of the way as roads
leading to Haram were jammed with traffi# and most of the dri$ers were o$er #harging. What
would #ost B *r in other days was now a 899 *r Iourney.
>y the time we rea#hed Haram &san#tuary' it was e$ening. The ele#troni#s flashboards near
haram announ#e that the Haram mosue was full and that the pilgrims delay their Tawaf and
pray *alah elsewhere. *o we prayed Magrib at a mosue near Haram. %fter the *alah we
freshened up and #hanged our #lothes.
%fter throwing the pebbles on the 89th day of Nhul,Hijjah and sha$ing the head or #lipping some
hair of it, a pilgrim is released from all restri#tions of the state of ihram. He may now wear
perfume, put on regular #lothes, et#., e4#ept approa#hing his wife se4ually. This is (nown as the
first remo$al of ihram. %fter #ompleting Tawaf AI$Ifada, an essential rite of Hajj, e$erything is
permissible for him in#luding approa#hing his wife se4ually. This is #alled the se#ond or final
remo$al of the state of ihram.
In the masjid where we prayed Magrib we met a s#holar from %fghanistan, we spo(e to him in
%rabi# and introdu#ed ouersel$es. He said that he #ame from Ialalabad and was a tea#her at a
Maktaba &s#hool', he said that he also was a Mujahid with the Taliban. We as(ed him about the
situation in %fghanistan, he said that with time the Mujahideen had regrouped and strengthened
themsel$es and that they now held influen#e and #ontrol o$er large areas of the #ountry. He said
that in a matter of two years they will reta(e all of %fghanistan. We as(ed him what (ind of
go$ernan#e would they set up if they were su##essful, we (now that pre$iously when the Taliban
were su##essful they established an Omirate system, we as(ed if they were going to do the same
or something elseK He said that they belie$e in establishing the Islami# 2hilafah and nothing
else. He said that 2hilafah is the only true system of go$ernan#e and that the Mujahideen now
reali0e the error they #ommitted earlier. We as(ed him if he (new a group by the name Hi0b ut
Tahrir whi#h also wor(s for the 2hilafah, he said that he (new them $ery well, he said that in a
short time the group has grown large in their #ountry and that they were their #ompanions in this
path of re$i$ing the 7mmah.
@ater after Isha we left for the Haram where we performed Tawaf, we finished Tawaf by :ajr
time and after :ajr we rested for sometime and then left ba#( for Mina.
Today/s rites in#luded the stoning of all the amarat starting from the smallest amara, the
seuen#e of the stoning is maintained.
It is #onfirmed that the !rophet &pea#e be upon him' used to begin with the first amarah that is
near Mina, then he would go to the middle amarah further away, and then he would go to the
amarah Al$Aqabah.
*o following the *unnah of the !rophet &saw' with e$ery stone we made a takbir and then made
Dua. Ibn MasGud and Ibn G7mar at the time of throwing pebbles used to say, %llahumma ijGalhu
Hajjan mabruran wa 0hanban maghfuran JO %llahD %##ept this Hajj of ours and pardon our sinsJ.
We made Dua that %llah destroy all of *haytan/s plans and that of his #ompanions from the
humans, that %llah a##ept our Hajj and ma(e it the last Hajj while the 7mmah was being
bombed by drones in !a(istan and by Mig/s in *yria and that we return ba#( to Hajj the ne4t
year but under the shade of an Ameer who would rule by the boo( of %llah and the *unnah of his
messenger.
We also saw the mosue of Al$Aqaba whi#h is #lose to the jamarat, this is the pla#e where the
two bayas of Aqabah had happened. The !rophet &saw' met the *ahaba from madina and too(
the baya from them whi#h led to the Hijra of the Muslims to Madina < the establishment of the
Islami# state in Madina at this spot.
%fter the jamarat we returned to our #amp and rested. The ne4t day the 8-
th
of Dhil Hijjah whi#h
is the third day of Ayam$Nahr we left our #amp early, we had de#ided on e4iting mina before
sunset on the 8-
th
.
We wal(ed o$er ) (m from our #amp before we arri$ed in Ma((ah, on the way we also stoned
the *haytan at the amarat. The remaining rite was the Tawaf Al Wida whi#h is performed on#e
the pilgrim plans to lea$e Ma((ah.
!erforming this Tawaf was going to be a #hallenge, many people ad$ised us against doing the
tawaf in the #rowded #entral mataf area and suggested that we perform it on the top floor whi#h
is less #rowded. My father who was leading us and was our Ameer for the safar de#ided that we
go in the #entral mataf area. Mu#h une4pe#tedly it was not $ery diffi#ult to perform Tawaf in the
#entral mataf area. %lthough the area was #rowded but it was une4pe#tedly different as people
were not pushing ea#h other whi#h is $ery #ommon during Tawaf and people attempted to help
ea#h other and ma(e way for those who wanted to e4it or enter the Tawaf, it was at the tawaf we
felt a uniue #hange in the attitude of the people #ompared to my e4perien#e in pre$ious Tawafs
in Umrahs and in Hajj, someone e4plaining the beha$ior said that this was the effe#t of the %rab
spring , it had brought people/s hearts #loser and made them reali0e the sense of being an
7mmah. I felt the same and hoped that we #ould see this beha$ior resonate in the whole of the
7mmah of the !rophet &saw'.
O$ery year about . Million people perform hajj with about 8.1B Million of them from outside
*audi and the remaining from inside *audi. Hajj is one of the B pillars of Islam and it is
obligatory o$er any Muslim who has the #apability &physi#al and finan#ial' but the uota of 8.1B
million hajis who #an do hajj e$ery year from the 8.) >illion Muslim/s will ta(e at least a few
hundred years for them to perform Hajj, #onsidering only those who ha$e the #apability to it. The
*audi go$ernment/s inability #an be understood be#ause of the inadeuate spa#e they ha$e to
host the pilgrims in the mosues, hotels and in the pilgrim sites. This in#ludes the la#( of proper
transport systems.
It is one of the duties of the Islami# state to ma(e the Hajj easy for the pilgrims and assist them
during the Hajj. The Hajj is not for the lo#als to ma(e money out of the pilgrims #heating them
and o$er#harging them and it is the duty of the state to ensure this.
3onsidering the reality of the *audi state where the whole hajj pro#ess is more a money ma(ing
endea$or than that of assisting the Hujjaj in ibadah, it #an be easily understood why they are not
$ery (een on in#reasing the uota or impro$ing the o$erall management of Hajj.
How will the Islamic state organize Hajj
The Islami# state will organi0e hajj with the obje#ti$e of ser$ing the pilgrims and assisting them
in #ompleting this obligation in the best manner possible. Ma(ing money out of the pilgrims, be
it for the hotels or the transport or food would not be from its aims, it would rather #urtail su#h
pra#ti#es if they happen.
3urrently the planning of the Haram mosue doesn/t allow a##ommodation of more than ..B P M
Million at one time. 3onsidering the #urrent population of the Muslim 7mmah and its growth in
terms of those a##epting Islam the number of Hajis allowed to do Hajj need to be in#reased. This
is the first challenge for the Islamic state. %ny in#rease in the Hajis will reuire restru#turing
of the outside area and inside area of the masjid.
In 8H)- when 2ing :ahd #ame to power he announ#ed the e4pansion of the haram and built an
e4tension now (nown as the 2ing :ahd e4tension. 2ing %bdullah, the #urrent (ing of *audi has
also announ#ed another e4tension whi#h is e4pe#ted to be #ompleted by -9-9.
2ing :ahd/s e4tension plan reuired large areas of lands to be a#uired from the surroundings of
the mosue. Thousands of houses were destroyed whi#h in#luded many reli#s from the past. %
large part of the a#uired lands and houses were gi$en away to real estate de$elopers whi#h led
to se$eral non,Muslims &who otherwise are not allowed entry into ma((ah' to open their hotels
around Haram. Radission, *heraton, Inter#ontinentalQall of them ha$e high $alued properties
surrounding the Haram. "ot only this, they don/t mind gi$ing away the holy land to ill,reputed
people, not long ago infamous !aris Hilton was allowed to open her fran#hise showroom in the
$i#inity of the masjid.
*o the e4pansion proje#t for the 2ing did not only gi$e him politi#al mileage but also benefited
many of his family members who now had sta(es in the fledging real estate property in Ma((ah.
Initially the Islami# state will attempt at in#reasing the open spa#e surrounding the Haram so that
more pilgrims #an be a##ommodated. %s temperatures #an be#ome $ery high during summers,
the open spa#e would also be #o$ered using me#hani#al 7mbrella shaped shades &similar to the
ones used in Madina'. O4ygen dispensers would also be installed along with them whi#h will
emit o4ygen and moisture #ombined to eat the heat during summers. This would be initial plan
of the state and then e4tensi$e ma(eo$ers will happen with time #o$ering these spa#es and air,
#onditioning them.
The #urrent stru#ture #o$ers an area of .B;,)99 suare metres &)).- a#res' in#luding the outdoor
and indoor praying spa#es and #an a##ommodate up to four million worshipers during the Hajj
period.
It is noteworthy to mention that the giganti# *hamiyya proje#t to the north west of the *an#tuary
is being de$eloped on an area of of one million fi$e hundred thousands suare meters
appro4imately, e4tending from the e4tremities of the san#tuary to beyond the se#ond #ir#ular
road to the north and from the Holy Mosue *treet to the east and abal al %aaba road to the
west.
The plan in#ludes %l,*hamiya, 5aroul, %larara wa %lna. The area to be de$eloped rea#hed
three million suare meters distributed among different a#ti$ities, of whi#h hotels, hotel
residen#es, #ommer#ial #enters, and mar(ets, general ser$i#es, in addition to permanent
residen#es for the people.
If only this area whi#h is adja#ent to the Haram was #on$erted to a marbled plane praying spa#e
for the !ilgrims, it would a##ommodate M.B Million MusallisD %nd if it was #on$erted into a two
storey #o$ered spa#e then that number would be doubled. The e4isting area for de$eloping
%l*hamiya in#ludes de$eloping residential and hotel spa#es meant for -B9,999 people and
praying spa#e for only M99,999 people.
The abal &mar proje#t to the south western side of the mosue for whi#h more than ;99
properties ha$e been sei0ed in$ol$es #onstru#ting two fi$e,star hotels with H.B rooms, and si4
three,star hotels #omprising 8,-BB rooms, a#ross an area spanning -MM,)99 s m. Residential
buildings rea#hing -9 storeys to a##ommodate 899,999 people, B-9 restaurants and M,.;9
#ommer#ial and retail units are also being built. The #urrent plans in#lude a plan to ma(e a ;
storey building for musallis to a##ommodate 899,999 musallis.
The Islami# state/s mission would be to ensure that the B
th
pillar of Islam #an be fulfilled by more
and more people and in this endea$or it would not see( to ma(e wealth from the pilgrims rather
it would aim at assisting them and aiding them and pro$iding them all the fa#ilities whi#h would
ma(e their pilgrimage easy.
abal &mar if it is only #on$erted to a plane as mentioned earlier with me#hani#al umbrella
shaped shadings and o4ygen dispensers #an a##ommodate 9.1B Million !ilgrims for prayers.
abal 'handama another proje#t #o$ering o$er ;99999 * Meters of spa#e is being de$eloped
into mi4ed use area mostly hotels and residential apartments and shopping units. Rede$eloping
this area as a prayer spa#e will gi$e spa#e to about - Million Musallis.
%ll these proje#ts are adja#ent to the Haram and #an be anne4ed with the Haram with ease.
In most of these proje#ts properties are a#uired often with little or no #ompensation and in some
#ases the owners are gi$en less than a wee( to lea$e the property.
The jabal kaaba is another of these proje#ts whi#h #o$ers about M;,999 * meters. *imilar is the
#ase with the Ajyad fortress on the mount bulbul whi#h was destroyed to build the Abraj al bait
towers. These towers along with other towering stru#tures are a $iolation of the 'abas san#tity.
It is ironi#al that on one hand airplanes #annot fly from abo$e the Haram but on the other hand
high rise towers #an #onstantly dwarf the Haram.
Histori# sites of religious importan#e whi#h ha$e been destroyed by the *audi/s in#lude fi$e of
the renowned J*e$en MosuesJ initially built by MuhammadGs &saw' daughter and four of his
Jgreatest 3ompanionsJ+ Masjid %bu >a(r, Masjid *alman al,:arsi, Masjid 7mar ibn al,2hattab,
Masjid *ayyida :atima bint Rasulullah and Masjid %li ibn %bu Talib.
It has been reported that there now are fewer than -9 stru#tures remaining in Me##a that date
ba#( to the time of Muhammad. Other buildings that ha$e been destroyed in#lude the house
of 2hadijah, the wife of Muhammad, demolished to ma(e way for publi# la$atoriesL the house
of %bu >a(r, MuhammadGs #ompanion, now the site of the lo#al Hilton hotelL the house of %li,
Oraid, the grandson of Muhammad, and the Mosue of %bu,?ubais, now the lo#ation of the
2ingGs pala#e in Me##aL MuhammadGs birthpla#e, demolished to ma(e way for a libraryL and
the Abraj Al "ait Towers, built after demolishing the Ottoman,era %jyad :ortress.
The ostensible reason for mu#h of the destru#tion of histori# buildings has been for the
#onstru#tion of hotels, apartments, par(ing lots and other infrastru#ture fa#ilities
for Hajj pilgrims. Howe$er, many ha$e been destroyed without any su#h reason. :or e4ample,
when the house of %li,Oraid, the grandson of Muhammad &saw' was dis#o$ered and e4#a$ated,
2ing :ahd himself ordered that it be bulldo0ed in #ase it should be#ome a pilgrimage site.
The 2ings !ala#e on mount %bu ?ubais whi#h #o$ers o$er 899,999 s meters will ma(e way for
a##ommodating more pilgrims for prayer.
*o if the surrounding region of the Mosue was freed from buildings and e$en if it was
preliminarily #on$erted into marbled open spa#e, it would ma(e spa#e for at least 89 million
!ilgrims.
3ertain stru#tural #hanges to the mosue will also ha$e to be performed. :or e.g., the mataf
&tawaf area' will ha$e to be e4panded. Remo$al of the ottoman era en#losure will lead to mu#h
more spa#e in the mataf area and further e4pansion of the mataf #an be done by remo$ing more
of the en#losure so that the mataf si0e in#reased.
To ease matters for #hildren, women and elderly people, the *tate would ma(e use of modern
te#hnologies su#h as tra$elators on the upper floors. "ot only will this ease the matters for the
pilgrims but will also stop the wheel#hair owners from #harging people e4orbitantly.
%s for the e$iden#e why tra$elators may be used, we (now this from the hadith "arrated by Ibn
%bbas &R%'+ In his @ast Hajj the !rophet &saw' performed Tawaf of the 'a(ba riding a #amel and
pointed a bent,headed sti#( towards the #orner &>la#( *tone'. E>u(hariF
*imilarly tra$elators may be employed between the *afa and Marwa as well.
The second challenge the State will fa#e will be that of the residen#e for the dwellers of
Ma((ah and the pilgrims. Ma((ah being a mountainous region has se$eral mountains whi#h
#o$er its terrain. Remo$ing these mountains and de$eloping the areas into residential areas will
sol$e lot of the residential problem. @arge swathes of land are #o$ered by these mountains
towards the south east of the mosue, and to the north of hijrah distri#t and the south of Mahbas
Al jenn par(ing.
With the growth of the Muslim population, there will #ome a time when e$en what the *tate
would ha$e planned will fall short. The state will then ha$e to wor( on establishing satellite
towns ne4t to ma((ah to house the !ilgrims and #ity dwellers but su#h a reality is not e4pe#ted
$ery soon but will #ertainly happen when the whole world #on$erts to Islam.
:
!" # $% # & % '$( # )* + ,% & $&-
$./ % #0 123 % 4 4 +0 % " 44 4%
" & 5" 6(% +" 67 80 7$ 9:
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It was narrated by %hmad in his Musnad, from Tameem %l,Daari, who said that he heard the
!rophet &saw' say+ 6Verily this matter (Islam) will reach where day and night ha!e reached
and it will not lea!e a ho"se of Madar (m"d or clay) or a ho"se of Wabar (f"r of camels and
goats i.e. tents) e#ce$t %llah will &ring it into this Deen (either) with the hono"r of an
hono"red one or the disgrace of a disgraced one' hono"r with which %llah hono"rs Islam
and disgrace with which %llah disgraces Kufr.=
The third challenge the state will fa#e is that of transportation. % #omplete o$erall of the
#urrent transport system is reuired. % #ombination of publi# transport *ystem < Mass Rapid
Transport systems &MRT*' will ser$e the needs of the pilgrims. The Mass Rapid transport
systems will be employed in the sa#red pla#es su#h as the Ma((ah mosue, Mina, Mu0adalifa ,
%rafah initially but will e$entually #o$er all the areas of the *a#red sites.
The design and #onstru#tion of the MRT* would be underground and would in$ol$e se$eral lines
at ea#h port. This is so as to a$oid #ongestion at the ports of embar(ing and disembar(. O4amples
of effe#ti$e utili0ation of MRT* in #ities li(e Malaysia, Delhi, @ondon and others will be studied
and adopted.
%t any station the number of people who #an embar( on a train and the number of trains that
arri$e periodi#ally should be planned in su#h a way so that there are mishaps and a##idents due
to o$erfilling of stations.
This year in %rafah, se$eral people died at the metro stations. The reason being that there are -8
trains and ea#h train #an ta(e M999 pilgrims at one point of time but the number of pilgrims who
had entered the stations just after sunset was mu#h larger. Many died due to suffo#ation and
some died due to the ensuing stampede. The Islami# state #annot afford to e4periment putting the
li$es of the Muslims are sta(e so it will plan things in a manner that do not #ause hassle for the
pilgrims.
%s for the publi# transport, there is a serious la#( of publi# transport $ehi#les inside the #ity and
the roads are narrow and badly managed. !ri$ate #ars would not be allowed near high #ongestion
areas li(e the Haram mosue and %rafah and transport in these areas will be pro$ided by the
*tates $ehi#les.
%s for the challenge the state will fa#e for Mina, Mu0dalifa and %rafah. The reality of these
towns is similar to that of Ma((ah, they are mountainous. Where there are mountains they
should be brought down and high storey buildings built in their pla#e. The sunnah for the haji is
to stay in Mina and not that it has to be in a tent and therefore high storey buildings will allow
$ery high and effe#ti$e utili0ation of spa#e.
The reason why the *audi go$ernment has not attempted at #onstru#ting the buildings is be#ause
of the $ery low return on in$estment on their money. The Islami# states ROI will be the reward
for its efforts it would ma(e in ma(ing Hajj easy for the Muslims.
The #urrent problem in these three towns is that of transport and spa#e, the MRT* will resol$e
the transport problem and high rise buildings will address the spa#e #onstraints.
The #urrent planning of amarat is e4#ellent and #an a##ommodate a mu#h larger number of
pilgrims than today/s.
%nother #hallenge the state will fa#e is that of food and water. @arge desalination plants will be
installed in Ieddah to #ater to in#reasing need of water and )am*am water will be a$ailed at
different pla#es around the #ity and the other sa#red pla#es. % stri#t #ontrol o$er food uality
will be maintained, no adulteration in the food will be allowed and o$er#harging the pilgrims
will not be allowed.
%ll this will be maintained more by de$eloping the Taqwa in the people and reminding them and
less by the sti#(.
The *tate will endea$or a similar parallel program in Madina as in Ma((ah.
May %llah &swt' grant us the $i#tory and allow us to re,establish the 2hilafah on the path of
prophethood soon.