Three friends from Spain are reviving a 500-year-old Andalusian Muslim tradition by traveling on horseback to Mecca for Hajj.
Three friends from Spain are traveling to Saudi Arabia on horseback for their Hajj, an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. Their expedition, which is a sacred journey for Muslims, began with a vow made by one of the pilgrims after embracing Islam.
Traveling on horseback from Spain for the past 3.5 months, Abdallah Hernandez, Abdelkader Harkassi, and Tariq Rodriguez have reached Istanbul and will continue their journey to complete the Hajj pilgrimage, while reviving a 500-year-old Andalusian Muslim tradition.
The group aims to reach Saudi Arabia via Syria after traveling through Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Türkiye on their 8,000-kilometer (4,970 miles) journey.
Hosted by Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University, the pilgrims met with students and supporters at the university as part of an event organized by the institution.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Huseyin Husnu Koyunoglu from the university’s Faculty of Islamic Sciences emphasized that Istanbul has been a significant stop for Hajj pilgrims for centuries.
Hernandez said he first learned about Islam at age 24. While working in geography, he studied the Bible and the Quran, finding the verses particularly striking.
He mentioned that before taking a geography exam, he promised himself that if he passed, he would become a Muslim.
After passing the exam, Hernandez converted to Islam and vowed to do the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca on horseback, just like his ancestors.
Hernandez explained that in fulfilling his dream, Harkassi and Rodriguez are accompanying him on horseback, while Bouchaib Jadil, a construction master living in Spain, is providing logistical support to the team by leading the way in a car.
A Lost Tradition is Being Revived
One of the Hajj pilgrims, Harkassi, said they were happy to revive a lost tradition.
He explained that they have saved money and trained for several years for this journey.
Despite the challenges, Harkassi emphasized that the journey was also full of adventure. "We have had funny moments and adventures. We saw that Allah was with us. We embarked on this journey with pure intentions to realize the Hajj."
He added: "We have now become a part of this. We are currently halfway there, and hopefully, the rest of the journey will be easier."
The team said they wanted to spend the month of Ramadan in Istanbul and expressed a desire to visit important religious and historical sites, such as the Sultanahmet Mosque and the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque.
Air Canada's unionised flight attendants reached an agreement with the country's largest carrier on Tuesday, ending the first strike by its cabin crew...
The United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) warned that around three million Syrians could face severe hunger, noting that more than half of the ...
Egypt has urged the Netherlands to bolster security at its embassy in The Hague after protesters locked its gates in a show of anger over the Gaza war...
Ocean acidification, caused by rising CO₂, is silently reshaping marine life, threatening shellfish, coral reefs, and coastal communities. Scientist...
Eight Palestinians have been killed after an overnight Israeli airstrike hit a tent encampment in Gaza’s Khan Younis, prompting mourners to gather a...
Saudi Arabia announced $6.4 billion of investments in Syria on Thursday, reflecting the kingdom's deepening ties with interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa's government as it seeks to rebuild Syria after a 14-year civil war.
Syria officially announced the launch of its first-ever investment forum with Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, marking a milestone in bilateral relations and Syria’s efforts to revitalize its economy under the new transitional government.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held high-level talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) in Jeddah on Tuesday, marking the first official visit by a senior Iranian official to the kingdom since Iran’s 12-day war with Israel last month.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
'Superman' continued to dominate the summer box office, pulling in another $57.25 million in its second weekend, as theatres welcome a wave of blockbuster competition following a challenging few years for the film industry.
Honduras has brought back mask mandates as COVID-19 cases and a new variant surge nationwide.
International superstar Taylor Swift has revealed her 12th studio album, 'The Life of a Showgirl', during a podcast appearance with her partner, U.S. football star Travis Kelce, and his brother Jason.
U.S. President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday they spoke about missing children due to conflict as Trump hosted European and NATO leaders in Washington to discuss Russia's war in Ukraine.
Hamas has agreed to a 60-day ceasefire proposal with Israel that would see half of the hostages in Gaza freed in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners, an Egyptian official said on Monday.
Russian drones deliberately struck a SOCAR oil depot in Ukraine's southern Odesa region for the second time in two weeks on Monday (18 August), according to Ukrainian officials.
Afghanistan's growing flour industry now supplies more than half the country's annual demand, with domestic mills producing 3.5 million tons out of the 6 million-ton national requirement.
U.S. envoy Tom Barrack has arrived in Beirut for his fourth visit since June, seeking to reinforce a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, days after the Cabinet backed a plan to disarm Hezbollah and other non-state groups.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment