Hajj: On Blocking Access to the Ka'aba

Ever since the great Sultan Salahauddin Ayyubi (ra) took up the title "Servant of the Two Holy Mosques"  (Khadim Al-Haramain Al-Sharifain) in the medieval ages as a mark of his quest to attain nearness to Allah (swt) while he was fighting the infidels in the Crusades, many other Muslim monarchs who presided over the holy land of Makkah and Madina continued to assume this title in their times. These days, the Saudi Arabian monarchs take pride in describing their official title as the Khadim Al-Haramain Al-Sharifain, pointing to the significance of the Two Holy Mosques and the land of Makkah and Madina in Muslim spiritual and political imagination.The title refers to their important responsibility for the upkeep of mosques and holy sites within Makkah and Madina and protection of pilgrims on the Hajj. 

As the land of Makkah and Madina belong to every Muslim, all Muslims have a right to visit the Holy lands to perform the religious rites. Sectarian differences among Muslim communities and political disputes among Muslim nations are part of the existential condition of the Islamic world today. These disputes and issues should never be used as a pretext to discriminate against specific groups of Muslims or to upset the Divine order that mandates the free flow of pilgrimage into Islam's holiest shrines. Most certainly, the men whom claim to be the "trustees and stewards  of the Holy Places" have no business creating barriers in the sacred journeys of all  or any of God's devotees- regardless of their denominational identity or national origin.  

The Saudi leadership, however, has a dismal record of playing politics with Hajj in more recent times. Recently, in the aftermath of the economic blockade by the Saudi-led four nations against it, the State of Qatar has complained that its nationals are unable to register through the official channels for the Hajj this year as a direct consequence of the blockade measures instituted by the Saudi authorities due to political disputes. Likewise, speaking against the backdrop of Iranian pilgrims facing problems at the hands of the Saudi authorities, the Iranian spiritual leader Ayatullah Khamenei recently made an instructive statement:  

“The land of Mecca belongs to all Muslims. No one should think they can do whatever they want on this land. All Muslims have the same right with regard to Mecca and Medina.

“No one should manipulate and prevent the concepts of Hajj, or the points and rituals that exist in Hajj. The individuals and the government that prevent these concepts are, indeed, “creating an obstacle in the way of God” [Quran: 2:217]. The Ka'aba belongs to all the Muslims. According to the Quran, Holy Mecca belongs to all Muslims and all Muslims have the same right over Mecca and Medina. No one should think they can do whatever they want on this land.

He went on to say: “Unfortunately, the government of Saudi Arabia creates problems for the Hajj pilgrims and prevents some rituals to be performed; even though, it is righteous to allow them perform those rituals. These issues must be regarded as the Muslims’ demands, which should not be forgotten".

In his Eid-ul-Adha Sermon of 22 August 2018 (10 Dhul-Hijjah 1439 AH), Hadhrat Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius spoke movingly about the plight of the Ahmadi Muslims in our times who are unable to access the land of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) for the purpose of accomplishing their devotional obligations relating to the fifth pillar of Islam. In countries like Pakistan and elsewhere, in passport/visa applications for purposes of Hajj and Umrah visits, all Muslims had been forced to declare statements denying and condemning the Promised Massih (as). Such mindless sectarian prejudices and administrative highhandedness by the authorities smack of Pharoahan tactics. Drawing on Qur'anic teachings and the Holy Prophet (sa)'s instructions, Hadhrat Khalifatullah (atba) calls for intense soul-searching by those concerned before it is too late for them. 

Read the Extracts from the Eid Sermon: 

For this day of Eid-ul-Adha, it pains me that many of the lovers of Hazrat Muhammad (sa), the lovers of God, cannot go to the Pilgrimage to Mecca. The House of God is not the property of anyone. According to the law of man all those who believe in the Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) are non-Muslims and are not allowed to perform the Pilgrimage to Mecca. According to them our presence in Mecca and Medina, for Pilgrimage and Umrah, would constitute an insult to these religious places.

In Mauritius, the small island of the Indian Ocean, to go on pilgrimage, you have to fill out a form that must be signed by an Imam to know which Jamaat you belong to, and that is a piece of advice that I give to all brothers and sisters, to never lie and give up your faith regarding the truthfulness of the Promised Messiah Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) to fulfill the 5^th pillar of Islam. Let these so-called great defenders of Islam take on their shoulders the sin of preventing the servants of Allah from fulfilling the fifth pillar of Islam. It is unfortunate when you see these so-called defenders of Islam acting in a non-Islamic way. So here in Mauritius your form goes into a committee of the so-called Mullahs at the Islamic Centre to see if they are believers of the Promised Messiah (as), and if so, then your form and your application for the visa to Mecca are rejected and this same strategy is applied in all countries around the world.

So, O lovers of God and Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), you who have studied the uniqueness of God from the Holy Prophet (pbuh), you who have learned from Muhammad (pbuh) the attributes of God, you who have learned the exercise of spirituality through him, I can assure you and I swear to you that as long as you are forbidden to go on the pilgrimage to Mecca in the name of Allah for fear of reprisals, your pilgrimage will be accepted, will be accepted and will be accepted.

Thus, O Hajjis who cannot proceed for the Pilgrimage I give you my compliments and I congratulate you. Best wishes for this celebration of Eid-ul-Adha too and my compliments to my disciples who are found all over the world, especially my disciples from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Chennai, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Comoros, Mayotte, Malaysia, Indonesia, Reunion, Madagascar etc.

I announce you this good news; It is transmitted to you that Allah has opened to us the ways of heaven and very soon the divine decision will overhang all the plans of this world. Permission will be granted to you by divine grace, to fulfil your dearest wish to go to Mecca for your pilgrimage, the heart filled with love of God and the Holy Prophet (pbuh).

The question that must be asked is this: How to discern the true Muslim from the false, the authentic from the one who is only Muslim in name according to the Islamic faith and practice?

Who should decide it is none other than Allah, our Master and sole Judge. The religious thing is decided between the human being and his Creator, Allah the Exalted. As a human being, we have absolutely no power and no right to decide for others, to determine what a person’s faith should be. We are not worried about being labelled non-Muslim. If in the eyes of Allah, we are Muslims that is enough for us. We need no attestation from any Government or Assembly to fix us.

The Ka’aba was the first House erected for the worship of Allah, a House made for human beings without distinction of religion, colour and race. A blessed house from which beings derive innumerable benefits and which is dedicated to humanity for its orientation and the peace of its soul. Those who can do it must go there and perform the pilgrimage in the name of the Lord, such is the injunction made by the Holy Quran to the faithful of Islam. Today we are excluded from this practice. The question that arises is this: Since when Allah the Exalted rejected His own injunction, which allow the access of the Ka’aba to all men without distinction, and who granted himself the privilege of these powers (powers which belong only to Allah)? Who are you to decide which of the men can do it? The Ka’aba is the House of God and not the property of anyone.

Verse 115 of Surah Al-Baqara and Verse 19 of Surah At-Tauba of the Holy Quran respectively speak of the Ka’aba in these terms:

“And who are more unjust than those who prevent the name of Allah from being mentioned in His mosques and strive toward their destruction. It is not for them to enter them except in fear. For them in this world is disgrace, and they will have in the Hereafter a great punishment.” (Al-Baqara 2: 115)

“Do you make the giving of drink to pilgrims, or the maintenance of the Sacred Mosque, equal to (the pious service of) those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and strive with might and main in the cause of Allah? They are not equal in the sight of Allah: and Allah guides not those who do wrong.” (At-Tauba, 9: 19).

It is time for you to examine your conscience in the light of the teachings of the Holy Quran and the Hadiths. If you have nothing but a patch of light in the depths of your soul, then you may understand who the true Muslim is and who is Muslim only by appearance.

If you continue to forbid us the pilgrimage to the House of God and if you persist in following the path traced by the enemies of the Holy Prophet (pbuh), feeling in yourselves so very happy and proud of your actions, then do make the best out of your bad fortune. As for us, Allah and His prophet suffice us. Forbid as much as you want, but the love we feel for Allah, for His Messenger, for Mecca and Medina, you will never be able to remove this from our hearts. We are totally filled with this love. We are confident that the day will come when all these bans will be removed and we will be welcomed in Mecca. Insha-Allah. Ameen.