يتكرر الحج والحُجّاج لا يتكررون..

Muslims are currently experiencing this year's Hajj season, while the interests and efforts of the Kingdom—led by its leadership, government, and people—are intensifying to manage and facilitate one of the largest events in the world. Millions of pilgrims are performing their rituals in one place and at one time.

This exceptional occasion has undoubtedly given the Kingdom extraordinary global experience in managing and directing the crowds of pilgrims during such a significant event in a specific place and time. This has enabled those responsible for Hajj, whether in the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah or in other ministries and agencies across various sectors, to keep up with the rapid and continuous updates to procedures, operations, services, field expansions, and digital applications.

However, the experience and knowledge gained by those overseeing Hajj are not the same as those of the pilgrims. The pilgrims this year are not the same as those from last year, and the pilgrims next year will not be the same as those this year. This means that those in charge of Hajj will have to repeat their efforts each year almost from scratch due to the changing demographics of the pilgrims each year. A pilgrim is religiously obligated to perform Hajj only once, and the costs of Hajj are not easy or accessible for many pilgrims, which perhaps explains the existence of Islamic savings funds in some Muslim countries to provide the necessary amount for the costs of Hajj.

It is not easy to raise awareness among the crowds of pilgrims coming from diverse linguistic, cultural, and social backgrounds, no matter how much experience and knowledge one possesses. This requires working on the commonalities between previous and new pilgrims through the official bodies responsible for Hajj in their countries, so that past mistakes that should be avoided do not recur and serve as lessons learned.

Additionally, we must contextualize the large and intensive campaign being conducted by the authorities responsible for Hajj in the Kingdom under the slogan "No Hajj Without a Permit." This campaign aims to provide security, safety, and reassurance to pilgrims wherever their destinations may be and in the holy places by controlling violators of the fake campaigns and preventing the transport of unauthorized pilgrims who do not hold a Hajj permit. This is the safest and best procedure that ensures pilgrims can perform their rituals comfortably, easily, and securely without risks, as was the case last year when a large number of unauthorized individuals entered, leading to unprecedented overcrowding that compromised the spaces allocated for authorized pilgrims.

Unauthorized pilgrims must understand that their entry into the holy places comes at the expense of the capacity designated for authorized pilgrims. By exceeding the permit, they harm themselves and others. There is a limited capacity for the holy sites, the Jamarat Bridge, the train services, accommodation, movement, and crowd management in Mina, Muzdalifah, and other areas. Unauthorized pilgrims should not enter at the expense of the comfort and reassurance of the authorized pilgrims.

Hajj requires tranquility, humility, devotion, worship, and a high degree of spirituality, which cannot be achieved amidst the human congestion and chaos caused by unauthorized pilgrims who harm themselves and others.

The successes achieved by the authorities responsible for Hajj in the Kingdom must be accompanied by a corresponding level of awareness among pilgrims and the Muslim communities as a whole, to create a shared understanding of all updates, expansions, and simplifications of procedures after each Hajj season.