With Great Hajj Comes Great Responsibility

“Among the lessons I learned on Hajj was that I needed to be mindful and keep the inner connection with God at all times and that self-improvement is definitely a never-ending struggle.” -- Kristiane Backer, From MTV to Mecca: How Islam Inspired My Life

A Very Crowded Hajj Prayer

As one of the five pillars of Islam (primary obligations to be preformed by all Muslims), the pilgrimage (Hajj) to the city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia is an extremely important event.  This year, nearly two million Muslims descended upon the holy city for their pilgrimage.  The event is often used as a celebration of life and as a reminder of Islam's emphasis on global unity.  However, this event has been marred in recent decades by a series of controversies and tragedies.  Last week, a stamped broke out in which 717 people were trampled.  This event, and a crane collapse earlier this month which killed 107, have once again placed the spotlight on Saudi Arabia's management of the Hajj.  Naturally, Iran (Saudi's regional rival) has also used these incidents as an opportunity to embarrass and shame Saudi Arabia.  So what is the Hajj and why is it so important?  This week we will investigate the meaning of the pilgrimage and uncover some of the scandals surrounding it.

As we mentioned before, the pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the five primary duties of Muslims throughout the world.  These "Five Pillars" are the declaration of faith, daily prayer, charitable giving, fasting during the month of Ramadan, and the pilgrimage to Mecca.  It should be noted that the pilgrimage (along with fasting and charitable giving) are only obligatory for those who are physically and financially able.  Muslims who are too poor to buy a plane ticket or unable to physically withstand the rigors of travel are exempt.  The Hajj is one of the great unifying experiences of Islam.  Muslims from all corners of the world gather together in one place for worship and contemplation. The Hajj often becomes a transformative experience for Muslims.  Malcolm X, former leader of the Nation of Islam (which did not believe that African Americans would ever be treated equally if fully integrated into society), converted to Islam and performed the Hajj in 1964.  He often said that seeing Muslims of all ethnicities and backgrounds helped turn him away from violence and towards the idea that all races could live in peace (albeit as Muslims).  The entire journey is to be performed from the 8th to the 12th day of the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah.  In order for the Hajj to fulfill the obligation completely, it must be performed during this time.  Muslims can perform a "lesser Hajj" at any time throughout the year, but that experience is typically not as revered.

Contrary to popular belief, the Hajj is not just showing up in Mecca and walking in a circle a bunch of times.  There are actually a number of specific actions which must be taken on specific days in order for the Hajj to be considered valid (this makes crowd control much harder).  The entire process lasts for five days and includes visits to the plains of Arafat for prayer and meditation, the ritualistic "stoning of the devil" at Mina, a drink from the well of Zamzam, and several trips back to Mecca to circle the Kaaba.  The pilgrims also shave their heads, have an animal sacrificed in their name to represent the story of Abraham and Isaac (the meat is used to feed the poor), and wear a special all white gown (known as the Ihram).  The Ihram, in particular, is meant to show equality of all pilgrims regardless of social or economic status.  In all, the experience is intended to bring the pilgrim closer to God and highlight the unity of all Muslims throughout the world.

The Many Steps Of The Hajj

So where does Saudi Arabia fit into all of this?  Saudi Arabia has been administering the Hajj since the Kingdom was founded in 1932.  As the "Custodian of the Two Holy Places," Saudi Arabia enjoys both the prestige of this title and the responsibility of managing the millions of pilgrims who travel every year.  Whenever large numbers of people converge in one location, safety is always a major concern.  As more pilgrims have been journeying to Mecca in recent decades, Saudi Arabia's safety and security teams have been having a hard time keeping up.  In 1990, another stampede killed nearly 1,500 people, while similar incidents have occurred in 1994, 1998, 2004, and 2006 (usually during the "stoning the devil" step of the Hajj).  Fires, concerns about disease, and political unrest have also caused significant headaches for the Saudis.  One particularly bad incident occurred in 1987 when a group of Shia militants stormed the Grand Mosque and began taking hostages (page 55 on that link).  In the ensuing firefight, nearly 400 people were killed.  For its part, Saudi Arabia has stepped up its security measures and made numerous safety related changes to minimize these incidents.  Still, many are beginning to think that the Hajj itself is simply too overcrowded to safely maintain.

Throwing Rocks At The Satan Pillar!

This brings us to another Saudi controversy surrounding the Hajj: its perceived exploitation.  Though Saudi Arabia will spend nearly one billion dollars on the Hajj this year, the Kingdom takes in roughly 8.5 billion per year in Hajj fees and related tourism expenses.  A foreign pilgrim will usually spend anywhere from $4,000 to $5,000 during the trip.  This causes severe restrictions for poor Muslims (though Saudi Arabia does provide a small number of scholarships for those who cannot pay).  Saudi Arabia also places restrictions on who is permitted to attend (with wealthy and influential people often receiving preferential treatment).  In addition to the Hajj itself, Mecca has also come under scrutiny for its increasing commercialization in recent years.  What was once a humble city of Mosques and local businesses is increasingly becoming a luxury destination filled with high rise hotels, five star dining, and a massive 2,000 foot tall clock tower just outside the Grand Mosque.  The recent crane collapse earlier this month was part of yet another large construction project in the city.  This has led to many expressing frustration with the Saudis, accusing them of ignoring the humbling and unifying purpose of the Hajj.  

Mecca's Fancy New Skyline And Clock Tower

Controversy aside, the Hajj is often seen as the defining moment of a Muslim's life.  People return with a new appreciation for humanity and there is even evidence to suggest that communities hold fewer radical views when there are more Hajj participants.  Still, the tragedies of the Hajj in recent decades ought to be a motivating force for change in Saudi Arabia.  It is often a belief that the closer a Muslim is to mecca when they die, the better their afterlife will be.  But this is likely of little consolation to the hundreds of families devastated by this tragedy. 

They Don't Have To Live Like Refugees

"What is at stake is nothing less than the survival and well-being of a generation of innocents." -- Antonio Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

The Line For Food Rations In Damascus

Over the past couple weeks, it has finally become impossible for Europe and the "West" to ignore the dire situation currently being faced by millions of refugees.  Boats are arriving (or sinking in many cases) throughout Greece and Italy, while massive waves of people are walking through the countryside of Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, and Hungary to search for a better life in Germany or Scandinavia.  Europe is finally waking up to this as they can no longer ignore when tens of thousands of people all converge on its borders at once, but this problem has been going on for over four years.  To date, there are currently 7,600,000 Syrians internally displaced and about 4,000,000 classified as refugees outside Syria.  It should be noted that not every person migrating to Europe is a Syrian refugee.  Many of these people are migrating from places like Iraq, Afghanistan, and sub-Saharan Africa.  However, this post will focus predominantly on the Syrian refugee crisis.  Put simply, this is the single greatest humanitarian crisis the world has seen since the end of the Second World War.  There are a lot of misconceptions about these refugees, so let's start getting some facts straight. 

Europe Isn't The Only Place Affected By This

Probably the biggest misconception about these refugees is that they are all poor, hopeless people looking for European governments to provide them with welfare checks for the rest of their lives.  While it is certainly true that many (like hundreds of thousands) of refugees have very little money, there are very significant numbers of educated professionals and middle-class families making the long and dangerous journey.  They have plenty of money to spend to help improve their lives once they get to Europe, while some are even planning on continuing graduate studies and getting good jobs in places like Germany and Sweden. These individuals have the means to support themselves, but will likely require a little direction and assistance from European governments to get started.  Finally, they often cite political and religious persecution (this includes Christians AND Muslims), random bombings from loyalist and rebel forces, and conscription into military forces as the main reasons for fleeing the region. 

Not The Stereotypical Refugee

Another major misconception is that all of these refugees are pouring into Europe only.  To date, there are an estimated 600,000 refugees who have attempted to enter Europe from either the Middle East or North Africa (with many dying in the process).  However, the vast majority of refugees are ending up in the neighboring countries of Turkey (2,000,000), Jordan (600,000), Lebanon (1,100,000 million) and Iraq (250,000).  Jordan and Lebanon are quickly becoming nations with majority refugee populations.  Jordan's population was only eight million before this crisis (with nearly 2,000,000 of them being Palestinian refugees).  Lebanon had just over 4,000,000 inhabitants in 2010 (almost half of whom immigrated there), and has taken in at least 1,000,000 more Syrians.  Middle East cultures tend to emphasize large family support networks, so most of these people are staying with friends and relatives, not just in camps.  This has put a massive strain on families and governments alike. 

A Long Walk

So why aren't the Saudis and the other rich Arabian Gulf nations helping out?  Well they are, but few people are really paying attention to it.  So far, these nations have contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to humanitarian efforts.  But admittedly they have taken in very few refugees into their own lands.  One of the main reasons these nations are not eager to suddenly welcome a million new residents is because this would dramatically alter the political landscape of these countries.

Saudi King Salman: "Let's Just Throw Money At The Problem"

Saudi Arabia, for example, does not allow for democratic elections, but instead provides massive public works programs and employment opportunities to its citizens.  Basically, the people are generally not calling for elections since life is still pretty good for them.  But this is very expensive, and the Saudis would not be able to extend these citizenship rights to all refugees at the risk of going bankrupt.  Even a "temporary" housing situation would not stay temporary for long since refugees very rarely return to their homeland.  To compare it to a common American debate, to some Arab Gulf citizens, the refugees would be taking jobs and mooching off the government.  They would be bringing criminals and terrorists (though some, they assume, are probably good people).  Not that any of that is necessarily true, but that is the perception many have.  Finally, many of the refugees themselves are not too keen to move to the strictly conservative Gulf states.  A majority do not particularly like the Gulf countries and would much rather go to Europe.

The Zaatari Camp In Jordan

Why are so many going all the way to Europe?  Well they almost all want the same stability, basic human rights, and freedom that we enjoy (what a concept!).  In contrast to the Gulf nations, they know they can expect a reasonable accommodation for their personal religious beliefs and lifestyle choices (anti-Muslim discrimination aside).  Many also speak European languages and have skill-sets that would be useful in Europe (or want to continue graduate studies in these countries).  Europe has pledged to take 120,000 and is debating measures to accomodate many more (though some expect as many as 800,000 will arrive by the end of 2015.  Unfortunately, there has been plenty of resistance to this proposal as well.  Hungary, Croatia, and Serbia have been especially outspoken against widespread accommodations for refugees.   Not wanting to be completely outdone, the United States has also stepped in to help.  So far America has pledged to take at least 10,000 refugees and said it will accept nearly 100,000 immigrants each year by 2017 (of all backgrounds, not just those from the Syrian Civil War).  America has always been a refuge for people seeking a better life and our inclusivity is what makes us great.  Though the American efforts are commendable, we should remember that there is always more that can be done for people in need.

The Joy Of Freedom

The last misconception we should clear up is that bringing refugees invites terrorists into the country.  We shouldn't deny that there is a small risk that terrorists would be posing as refugees to enter the U.S. and European countries.  Nobody denies that basic screening of refugee applicants would be necessary to ensure no obviously bad people enter the country (though it currently takes over a year for an applicant to be accepted).  But we can't let exaggerated reports of migrating terrorists and xenophobic attitudes stop us from helping those who truly need it.  ISIS (and its supporters) have been exploiting these fears in order to get people to pressure their governments to keep refugees out.  The truth is, people have been migrating to this country from unstable and dangerous countries for years.  In general, they are seeking to escape violence and terrorism, not cause it.

Top Destinations For Syrian Refugees

Overall, the "West" needs to support these people because it is the right thing to do and it helps prevent radicalization (because their improved economic system, stable living conditions, and education will naturally curb many of the leading causes of radicalization).  It also undercuts the theme that America and Europe do not care about Muslims (often used as a recruitment tool for terrorists).  Recently, nearly 360,000 people suddenly stopped receiving food aid from the World Food Programme.  That means 360,000 people are that much closer to complete desperation.  Ending the Syrian Civil War is hard.  Navigating the geopolitical implications of waves of migrants is hard.  Balancing the relationship among Saudi Arabia, Iran, Russia, and Syria is hard.  Feeding people and giving them shelter is easy.  We should show empathy, not fear, tolerance, not xenophobia, and warm acceptance, not cold rejection.  Because ultimately if you were in this situation, you would be asking for the same help which is being denied to so many.  Some people are more than happy to send bombs, guns, and operatives to Syria, but when asked to account for the human lives which have been upended, many sit back and say "not my problem."  Suffering is humanity's problem.  It is everyone's problem.  It is your problem too.

TL;DR: These are not just Syrians or Muslims who need our help, they are people.  What will you do about it?

Hint: Donate here.  Or petition here to get more refugees admitted to the United States.

My Brief Visit To The "Orient"

“To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” – Aldous Huxley

The view of Istanbul from our balcony window

Last week, I returned from my first travel abroad experience with my wife Hannah.  As part of our long-overdue honeymoon vacation, we embarked on a two week Mediterranean cruise.  This was a very rare treat for us, since it took nearly three years (and most of our wedding donations) to save up for it.  During our trip, we briefly visited places like Venice, Istanbul, Athens, Pompeii, Rome, Florence, and Barcelona.  Needless to say, our excursions to the Blue Mosque, the Acropolis, and the Colosseum (among many others), were fantastic and allowed me the opportunity to finally view the places I've known for so long in my studies.  But this post isn't written to brag about how awesome everything was (though there is a little of that), this is an attempt to share a couple of reflections (both good and bad) I had while finally visiting a small part of the Middle East.

Inside the Blue Mosque....wow

My favorite place was, of course, Istanbul.  We only had about nine hours in Istanbul, but I feel like I could spend months in the city and still not fully experience its rich cultural and historical sites.  Like the Hagia Sophia (which was once a church, then a mosque, and is now a museum), Istanbul represents an eclectic mix of cultures all interacting with one another.  It was truly a treat to see such a great example of different people coexisting together.  Unfortunately, Istanbul has had a bad reputation lately due to its proximity to Syria and ISIS.  I (along with our tour guide, who actually turned out to be Jewish) spent far too much time on the trip trying to explain to people why they weren't going to get blown up or abducted just because they were going to a predominantly Muslim city.  I visited mosques and museums, dined on grape leaves and apple tea, and even haggled for some exotic spices.  In all, as the muezzin issued the evening call to prayer on our way out of the city, I was elated to have had this small taste of life in the Middle East.

Inside the Hagia Sophia.....also wow

One of the only things I didn't care for was the lifestyle presented on the ship itself.  Lavish buffets, string quartets, and even a jewelry store (featuring several items for only $1,000!) were all designed to part fools from their money and allow the wealthy to pretend that sadness doesn't exist in the world.  To me, the most ridiculous event was a "champagne waterfall" where over 700 glasses were stacked in a pyramid shape, and then cheap (though really expensive looking) champagne was poured from the top to fill the glasses below.  People loved it.  I wondered how many times that gimmick has come crashing down in a waterfall of hubris when the ship hit an unexpected wave.  But of course, these types of events aren't really geared towards a young honeymooning couple anyway.

Our view from the Duomo in Florence

Throughout the cruise, I would often return to the balcony of our stateroom (we got a free upgrade from our cheap interior cabin) and marvel at the beauty and serenity of the Mediterranean.  However, I could never shake the feeling that while I was casually enjoying the peaceful blue waters of the sea, others were almost certainly starving and drowning in those same waters.  Where I saw a majestic and seemingly endless expanse of maritime luxury, others saw a deadly and seemingly endless obstacle to their escape from poverty and persecution.  I felt somewhat better upon learning that this same ship had rescued a group of distressed Syrians on the sea during its previous voyage.  However, they were immediately dropped off at the next port of call (which happened to be Greece) to become the problem of the local port authorities instead.  Still, at least the ship had helped.

The Bay of Naples near Sorrento

My depressing pessimism aside, this truly was the trip of a lifetime.  It was a wonderful experience and I am reminded how fortunate I am to have had such opportunities so easily within my reach.  I know that such a short visit doesn't really endow me with any special knowledge or experience of the region.  These types of short visits are all about manufactured experiences, where people are herded along like cattle to gawk at the "mysteries of the Orient" while staying far enough away from any real mysteries so they don't feel too uncomfortable.  It was Orientalism at its finest.  I also won't pretend that after only nine hours in Istanbul, I suddenly understand what life is like for a kid growing up in a poor suburb of Amman, or that I can personally identify with a street vendor just because one tried to sell me a fake Rolex.  But despite my critique of the ship's primary clientele, at least the people on this trip cared enough to see these places and learn their histories.  And though I returned from my travels knowing about as much as I did before, at least I can stay that, for a short time, I was there.

Tl;DR: Go see the world!