statement in 2025, Hajj is not safe

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Statement
Hajj is Not Safe – 2025

All praise is due to God, and may peace and blessings be upon His Messenger. Now then:

Around this time in the year 1445 AH / 2024 CE, one of the worst Hajj disasters in modern history occurred, claiming the lives of over 1,400 pilgrims due to negligence and mismanagement. This tragedy proved that the sacred rite of Hajj is still governed by unilateral decisions lacking accountability and responsibility. Lives remain without adequate guarantees of safety in the holiest of places. This painful memory necessitates a serious reassessment of how the pilgrimage is managed, in a way that preserves its sanctity and human dignity—away from the excessive security mindset used to control crowds and pathways.  

The pilgrimage was legislated to be a gathering point for the unity of the Nation , removing it from worldly disputes. However, reality bears witness to practices that hinder the fulfillment of these noble purposes. The Saudi authorities continue to bar many Muslims from performing Hajj for political reasons or differences of opinion, in clear violation of the Sharia-based principle of ability (istita‘ah). Depriving any Muslim from reaching the House of Allah is an assault on their legal and human right. The Haram (sanctuary) belongs to no one; it is a refuge for all humanity.

At a time when Muslims are grieving over the daily massacres in Gaza, the Saudi authorities arrested pilgrims and Umrah-goers who expressed symbolic solidarity with their Palestinian brothers. Some of them remain in detention to this day. This calls for their immediate release and an end to such unjustified practices.

The pulpit of Hajj has not been spared from political exploitation, as it has been used to promote stances that do not reflect the conscience of the Nation instead of being a platform for truth, unity, and disavowal of oppression, as intended in Islam.

We affirm that continuing this approach in managing the rituals undermines the safety of pilgrims, empties the pilgrimage of its objectives, and threatens to turn the sacred sites from places of worship into instruments of political control and propaganda.

We also remind the scholars of the Nation n of their responsibility to speak the truth, forbid wrongdoing, and reject the exploitation of sacred rites as tools of pressure especially after documented cases of bans and arrests targeting scholars, preachers, and intellectuals. Fear of being denied the chance to perform Hajj or Umrah does not justify silence. Allah says:
﴾الَّذِينَ يُبَلِّغُونَ رِسَالَاتِ اللَّهِ وَيَخْشَوْنَهُ وَلَا يَخْشَوْنَ أَحَدًا إِلَّا اللَّهَ﴿
“Those who convey the messages of Allah and fear Him and do not fear anyone except Allah.” [Surah Al-Ahzab – 33:39]

The Sacred House of Allah is not the property of any authority or regime. It is a waqf (endowment) for the entire Muslim Nation. It must remain a safe, depoliticized space open to all who come to it sincerely, without fear or restriction.