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.
A bilateral agreement between Türkiye and Qatar aimed at strengthening cooperation in global humanitarian assistance has officially come into effect ...
The Cambodian government will introduce a military conscription system starting next year, Prime Minister Hun Manet announced on Monday....
The European Union has praised Armenia’s recent steps towards fostering stability in the South Caucasus, particularly its efforts to normalise relat...
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday that only 35% of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are currently on course to meet their t...
US President Donald Trump warned on Monday that if no agreement is reached within 50 days to end the war in Ukraine, the US will impose 100% secondary...
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.
Saudi Arabia’s defence minister held rare talks with Iran’s military chief amid concerns over the fragility of the Israel-Iran ceasefire.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul continued his urgent Middle East tour with stops in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, as Berlin seeks to help de-escalate the growing conflict between Iran and Israel.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
Dozens of international and domestic flights were cancelled or delayed after Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki erupted on Monday, but Bali’s main airport remains operational.
Authorities in North Carolina are investigating three potential storm-related deaths linked to severe flooding from the remnants of Tropical Storm Chantal, officials said Tuesday.
A man was gored and seven others injured during the adrenaline-charged second day of Spain's iconic San Fermin bull running festival in Pamplona.
A bilateral agreement between Türkiye and Qatar aimed at strengthening cooperation in global humanitarian assistance has officially come into effect this week, following ratification by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and its publication in Türkiye’s Official Gazette.
The European Union has praised Armenia’s recent steps towards fostering stability in the South Caucasus, particularly its efforts to normalise relations with Türkiye and reach a historic peace agreement with Azerbaijan.
President of Turkmenistan has issued a decree abolishing the Agency of Transport and Communications under the Cabinet of Ministers and establishing five new state bodies aimed at 'significantly' improving the management of the country’s transport and communications sector.
Georgia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has abolished units working on inter-agency coordination of the European and Euro-Atlantic integration process, which is considered as a part of a broader effort to halt the country’s integration into the European Union.
Clashes between Druze and Bedouin Arab tribes continue in Syria’s southern Sweida province, near the Jordanian border, while six soldiers were killed in an attack by Druze forces on Syrian army units deployed to restore order in the area.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment