MAKKAH, 21 January 2005 — Haj rituals were not an obstacle to pilgrims to talk about politics, terrorism and even intellectual issues. The long night in Mina, which started on the tenth day of Dul Hijjah, helped to stretch the serious dialogue between pilgrims.
Khadem Khalaf, 51, from the southern Iraqi area of Nassiriyah who carries an Iraqi flag with him all the time talks about the issues that concern the Iraqi public and Iraqi pilgrims in Makkah. The main topic most Iraqis talk about during Haj is the upcoming elections in their country.
Asked what they talked about among themselves, Khalaf said, “We talk about the Jan. 30 election and the terror attacks that seek to ruin the elections and the future of Iraq. We want a new strong Iraq to start all over again but terrorists and the remaining elements of the Baath regime are out to upset the apple cart.”
Abdul Sattar Al-Esa, from southern Iraq, said, “I only came to Haj to pray to God to save Iraq. We want to have a normal life. We want to be able to send our children to school without fear of them being kidnapped. We want to walk the streets like normal people without fear of car bombs.
These are the only issues that we talk about here when we have free time; election and the future of Iraq”.
Over in another Haj camp, Bahraini pilgrims’ favorite topics are jobs and improving the economic condition in the country. Abu Jasim said, “We pray that all the promises given to us by officials to improve the way of life will come true. As you know, Bahrain is the poorest country in the Gulf and its economic condition is the main talking point here in the camp as well as in Bahrain”.
Pilgrims from Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia, are full of sad stories. Pilgrims in the camps of these countries discuss nothing but the aftermath of tsunami that left massive miseries in its trail. These pilgrims are happy that Muslims from other countries are comforting them, sharing their grief.
A wave of sympathy swept through the camps for the victims of tsunami. However, some of these pilgrims were often annoyed as local and international journalists tried to make news out of their suffering.
In their camp, Palestinian pilgrims were optimistic about the new government formed by the newly elected president. President Mahmoud Abbas dominated their subject of their leisure time talk. They also prayed for the downfall of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
