MAKKAH, 21 December 2007 — The holy city is a booming town during the annual Haj, with every nook and cranny overflowing with pilgrims. The demand for room and board for the millions of guests of God skyrockets during the Haj. And while there is a lot of legal, clean, safe and well-accommodated housing in the holy city, there are many less scrupulous building owners and others that take advantage of the seemingly incessant need for more temporary housing.
For example, it’s not uncommon to find buildings still under construction, perhaps with no electricity or running water, and definitely without proper safety features installed, that are turned into fly-by-night hostels during the annual pilgrimage (as well as during the peak season for Umrah pilgrims, during Ramadan). Building owners, tempted by the ability to make extra cash, are often willing to hire or commission illegal residents or others to act as brokers for these unfinished buildings.
In Makkah’s Al-Aziziyah district, which is the closest point to Mina and an ideal place for pilgrims, the first floor of an under-construction building was packed with pilgrims and their belongings. The floor had been divided with cheap plywood into rooms.
According to locals in the area, the owner of the building decided to set up a side business housing pilgrims while the workers were off for Haj break. He reportedly accepted SR150,000 from an intermediary to rent out the floor. The intermediary, presumably, made more than that setting up an illegal housing arrangement on behalf of one or more Tawafa organizations, a licensed Haj tour operator.
In another place in Aziziyah, a villa owner rented his garage to a man who turned it into an impromptu “bagala” to sell Haj-related trinkets and gifts. The homeowner said he would make SR9,500 over the two-week peak period of the Haj season. “How can I say ‘no’ to such an amount of money?” he said.
Abdul Haq, the main merchant of this tiny gift shop, said he would make triple that amount.
“What makes this location very special is that it is located near pilgrim residential areas; it is far away from the street and there is no competition around,” he said. “So far I’ve doubled the amount of my investment.”
Although it can be difficult to tell on a case-by-case basis, officials generally assume most of these workers (if they aren’t Saudi) are illegal residents — either undocumented migrants or visa overstayers.
