Overcrowding of Mecca during Hajj 

God Almighty does not wish to make the religion difficult for us (5:6).  He wishes for us convenience, not hardship, that we may fulfill our obligations, and to glorify God for guiding us, and to express our appreciation   (2:185).  Yet, we witness overcrowding of Mecca during Hajj (Pilgrimage) every year, why?

The reason for this overcrowding is that the Saudi Government does not follow God’s law for Hajj that we find in the Quran. They decreed their own law never authorized by God, and restrict Hajj to a few days, instead of four sacred months as mentioned in the Quran! Consequently, over-crowding is prevalent during the Hajj season every year.  They did not understand the Wisdom of God on four sacred months!  Their current solution is to place strict controls on the number of pilgrims entering the country —giving a quota to each government which then selects pilgrims. Still, there are nearly 2 million pilgrims that are coming from different countries; all are forced to do Hajj within the designated days.

The world’s population is believed to have reached over 6.7 billion in 2007. In line with population projections, this figure continues to grow.  We hope Saudi Government realizes the importance of upholding God’s laws in the Quran and changes the timing for Hajj from a few days to four sacred months.
We learn from the Quran that like the other rites of Islam, such as Testimony (Shahadah), Contact Prayers (Salat), Fasting (Ramadan) and Obligatory Charity (Zakat), the rites of Annual Pilgrimage (Hajj) also came through Abraham by God’s leave.

[22:26]  We appointed Abraham to establish the Shrine: “You shall not idolize any other god beside Me, and purify My shrine for those who visit it, those who live near it, and those who bow and prostrate.

[22:27]  “And proclaim that the people shall observe Hajj pilgrimage. They will come to you walking or riding on various exhausted (means of transportation).

They will come from the farthest locations.”

We learn from the Quran that nothing bad comes from the Most Merciful God.  And, God is the Best Lawmaker.

[4:79] Anything good that happens to you is from God, and anything bad that happens to you is from you. We have sent you as a messenger to the people, and God suffices as witness.

 [5:50] Is it the law of the days of ignorance that they seek to uphold? Whose law is better than God’s for those who have attained certainty?
So, if Hajj is decreed by God, the Best Lawmaker, then why do we hear all the bad news on Hajj almost every year?  Why have all the problems and disasters been happening during the Hajj season?  We find the answer in the Quran.

[42:21] They follow idols who decree for them religious laws never authorized by GOD.

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