Beirut- In a parking lot crowded with pilgrims, feelings of joy and awe are mixed on the faces. Suitcases are lined up near the buses that will take them to Beirut Airport, while whispers of prayer are raised among families, making this year’s Hajj season seem like a journey laden with anxiety in light of the ongoing war in Lebanon and the high costs of living and travel.
Hajj Shehadeh Falah stands next to his small bag, trying to hide his anxiety behind a smile that does not leave his face. He told Al Jazeera Net that he feels very happy because he will perform this duty after he has waited for this moment for a long time, but his joy remains incomplete due to his fear for his family, which he left in Lebanon amid the tense security conditions.
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The deep spiritual dimension of the journey is not lost on many pilgrims, who see this ritual as a space for tranquility amid the chaos that Lebanon has been experiencing for months.
The first flights of Lebanese pilgrims began on May 16 (Al Jazeera)
Indescribable feelings
As for Samar Ayoub, she confirmed that her feelings are indescribable, and she told Al Jazeera Net that visiting the Holy Lands and praying in the Prophet’s Mosque and the Noble Rawdah represents for her the journey of a lifetime, even though she had previously performed the rituals in previous years.
However, this year’s Hajj carries a different meaning for her, as she is performing it on behalf of her late cousin, and she continued her speech, trying to hold back her tears, saying, “This year I will perform Hajj on her behalf, may God have mercy on her, and I ask God to accept it from her and place it in the balance of her good deeds.”
In another corner of the parking lot, Aisha Zaidan stands among her family members, following the travel details with clear eagerness. She explained to Al Jazeera Net that she has waited for this moment for many years and that her joy in Hajj exceeds all surrounding fears.
Despite the security anxiety looming over Lebanon, Aisha believes that fear no longer changes much in the lives of people who are accustomed to living with daily tension. She said calmly, “What God has decreed upon us will happen whether here or anywhere else.”
This year’s Hajj season comes at a time when the Lebanese are facing difficult economic conditions, after travel and accommodation costs have risen significantly, making performing this pilgrimage a deferred dream for many. Between the high prices and the fears of war, pilgrims are trying to cling to what remains of reassurance, carrying their prayers and hopes for a journey in which they see a spiritual salvation from the burdens of a reality burdened by crises and conflicts.
The concerns of war are not absent from the Lebanese even during their Hajj (Al Jazeera)
Stick to the obligation
Most of the pilgrims completed the required health procedures, most notably the meningitis vaccine, and prepared their ihram clothes and luggage in preparation for traveling to the holy sites. Hajj Bahaa Al-Bilani, director of the Al-Bilani Hajj and Umrah Campaign, indicated that the first flights began on Saturday, May 16, with the last plane carrying pilgrims leaving Lebanon on Thursday, the 21st of the same month.
He added to Al Jazeera Net that the Hajj season this year is clearly affected by the economic crisis and high travel costs.
Despite the high prices and pressures of living, Al-Bilani confirmed that many people still adhere to performing this obligation, considering that “whoever intends to perform Hajj will adhere to it no matter how high the costs are.” He pointed out that some pilgrims are willing to bear great financial burdens, and even give up many of the basics of life, in order to reach Mecca and perform the rituals.
For his part, Sheikh Ali Al-Youssef, director of the “Rawabi Al-Quds Hajj and Umrah Campaign,” said that Lebanon, like other countries in the region, is experiencing an exceptional Hajj season this year in light of the war and escalating security tensions, indicating that these circumstances have directly affected the numbers of pilgrims and their ability to travel.
He stressed that pilgrims in the country face two basic challenges:
- Economic: The cost of Hajj has risen to range between $5,000 and $6,000, and may increase depending on the type of services and campaigns, which has made performing the Hajj extremely difficult for many.
- Security: Security concerns loom over people, in light of the fear of the war expanding, the closure of airports, or the lack of reassurance about the conditions of their families during the period of absence.
For the Lebanese, Hajj remains a journey of a lifetime despite the high costs, the repercussions of war, and the high cost of living (Al Jazeera)
Effects of war
According to Al-Youssef, the number of Lebanese pilgrims in previous years was about 23,000, while the departure of 6,000 pilgrims this year is considered an acceptable number compared to the current reality, which reflects the significant decline in the numbers of those willing and able to perform the rituals.
He also talked about administrative changes that in turn affected the season, explaining that the “courtesy visas” that were previously approved were replaced by the “package” system approved in Saudi Arabia, which imposed additional financial burdens on pilgrims, as they began to pay high amounts for the packages in addition to the cost of the campaigns, which led to a significant decline in this type of visa.
Al-Youssef pointed out that the Shiite community in Lebanon was greatly affected as a result of the widespread destruction that affected dozens of villages in southern Lebanon due to the Israeli aggression, which made Hajj conditions more complicated for many of the affected families.
This year’s Hajj season was affected by the economic crisis and high travel costs in Lebanon (Al Jazeera)
According to him, Lebanon’s official quota is about 7,500 pilgrims, distributed among:
- About 3,000 are from the Shiite sect.
- 3000 from the Sunni sect.
- Nearly 1,500 Palestinian pilgrims.
In turn, Hajj Maher Awaid, director of the Al-Aqsa Message Campaign for Hajj and Umrah, said that the number of Palestinian pilgrims declined this year from about 1,500 to only about 800, as a result of the security conditions and difficult economic conditions. Regarding the Sunni and Shiite sects, he pointed out that there was a large surplus in demand, as a number of those who registered their names were unable to obtain visas for Hajj.
Lebanon’s official quota is about 7,500 pilgrims (Al Jazeera)
