Prohibition of Political Hajj to Support the Zionist Regime
Hajj is one of the most important religious and political matters in the holy religion of Islam. It is performed every year by thousands of enthusiastic people from all over the world, with different nationalities, races, colors, and languages, in the land of revelation.The season of Hajj has an extraordinary capacity that can be used to fulfill the goals outlined by Islam, especially in bringing together and unifying Muslim nations, particularly in relation to the freedom of Palestine and the Holy Quds Sharif. This year's Hajj is especially significant considering the events that have occurred in the world and the movements that have formed in support of the Palestinian people worldwide.
Despite this year's Hajj being seen as a turning point in supporting the oppressed people of Gaza and condemning the crimes and genocide of the Zionist regime, the problems in Saudi Arabia has created difficulties in harnessing the immense potential of this year's Hajj season.
Anti-Zionist slogans are prohibited!
Even though Muslims and non-Muslims worldwide are consistently calling for an end to the Gaza war and the suffering of Palestinians, there has been a silence and lack of action towards the crimes committed by Zionists against Palestinians at the holy site of Baitullah Haram during the largest Muslim gathering in the world. In the past, there have been reports of pilgrims being arrested.
Saudi Arabia's Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Tawfiq al-Rabi'ah, recently stated in a news conference: "Hajj is a time for worship, not for political slogans. The primary focus of Hajj is worship, and we stress the importance of maintaining peace and humility so that everyone can easily perform the rituals."
He added, "Therefore, Hajj is a place for worship and not for raising any political slogans. This is what the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia strives for, so that the Hajj ceremony in practice is the best and highest possible in terms of manifestations of respect, peace, and spirituality."[1]
Saudi Arabia is attempting to ensure that pilgrims remain peaceful in light of the criminal actions of the Zionist regime, as Muslims from all over the world gather for the Hajj ceremony. This significant event provides Muslims with a prominent platform to express their condemnation of the ongoing war in Gaza and to unite their voices for the world to hear.[2]
Why the silence?
Saudi Arabia is working to enhance its relations with Israel in order to bolster its position in the region. As a result, Saudi Arabia is not inclined to strategically jeopardize the potential normalization of relations with Tel Aviv. Currently, Riyadh's main focus is on internal stability, national priorities, and avoiding any new "Arab Spring" movements within the country. Additionally, Riyadh aims to prevent the elevation of Hamas's image in the Arab world and thus maintains a cautious stance towards Israel and the situation in Gaza.[3]
America and Israel should not be upset
Raising the issue of Gaza during Hajj will be a historic move that is likely to upset the occupying regime of Israel and its allies, including the United States and other Western countries. The reason Saudi Arabia does not want the issue of Gaza to be raised during the Hajj ceremony, and does not consent to chanting slogans in favor of Gaza and Palestine, is to avoid disturbing the Zionist regime, America, and Western countries.[4]
In the end, various reasons, such as internal issues within Saudi Arabia, the plan to normalize relations with the Zionist regime, and considerations regarding the United States and Western countries, have led Saudi Arabia to attempt to alter the true nature of Hajj in recent years. Saudi Arabia claims that Hajj should not be politicized, despite the fact that it is essentially a religious duty with political implications. This is because the pillars of Hajj stem from Quranic directives, such as promoting the unity of Muslims, supporting the oppressed, and denouncing polytheists.
