Muslims Must Cease Inappropriate Behavior During Hajj
By Md Mahmudul Hasan
Mar/Apr 26
Hajj is the obligatory, once in a lifetime pilgrimage for adult Muslims who are physically and financially able to make the trip to the holy city of Mecca. I finally made this journey in 2025 after postponing for years due to work and other preoccupations.
A trip to Madinah is not a rite of Hajj or Umrah (the lesser pilgrimage). But few Muslims who go on pilgrimage miss visiting the city that is enriched by Masjid al-Nabawi (the Prophet’s Mosque), Masjid Quba, and an impressive array of other structures, landmarks, and historic sites.
While contemplating the trip to Mecca and Madinah, I remembered my longstanding wish to have a conversation with Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) at a spiritual level. Seeking his guidance upon arrival to the two holy cities, I would ask him a few questions.
Conversing with the Prophet, a Literary Tradition
This desire to speak to the Prophet is supported by literary precedents. Writers have described their mystical exchanges with the Prophet for many years. For example, 20th century poet and philosopher Muhammad Iqbal employed the device of apostrophe in his poem “To the Holy Prophet” (1936). Apostrophe is a literary tool that involves talking to the absent as if they are present. Iqbal addressed the Prophet and informed him about the deplorable condition that Muslims were facing during the colonial period, stating:
We [Muslims] are a defunct musical instrument
whose chords do not respond to the plectrum any longer.
I have wandered through lands, Arab and non-Arab,
[But] Lahab is everywhere, Mustafa nowhere.
The so-called enlightened Muslim
has no lamp to illumine the darkness of his heart.
Even in his youth he is soft like silk,
the desires in his heart are short-lived.
He is a slave, son of a slave, son of a slave,
who dare not think of freedom;
the school has drained him of love for religion.
(Muhammad Iqbal, What Should Then Be Done, O People of the East, trans. B. A. Dar, Lahore: Iqbal Academy, 1977, p. 135).
Before Iqbal, 13th century Egyptian poet Sharaf al-Din Muhammad al-Busiri was afflicted by hemiplegia, a paralysis of half of the body. In a dream-like vision, Busiri recited a poem in praise of the Prophet who – as a gift in return – wrapped him in his burda (mantle). It is said “when Busiri woke up in the morning, he was miraculously cured from his paralysis” (Rachida Chih, “Prophetic Piety, Mysticism, and Authority in Premodern Arabic Devotional Literature: al-Jazuli’s Dala’il al-Khayrat (15th Century).” International Journal of Middle East Studies 54.3 (2022): 462-483, p. 466).
Busiri complained to the Prophet about his paralyzed body, but Iqbal turned to lament, a form of moral torpor and intellectual paralysis that gripped Muslims and ruined the social fabric of their community.
A Personal Conversation
The questions that I had in mind for the Prophet went along the line of Iqbal’s narrative. I was concerned about Muslims’ collective incompetence, inertia, indolence, and lethargy and about their apathy to their plight and degradation.
I wanted to ask the Prophet why Muslims, as a global community, were so inept. Why are they so weak and persecuted almost everywhere? Despite having such a wonderful religion and such an exemplary role model in the character of the Prophet, why are they in such a despicable condition? Why are they plagued by a myriad of crises both internal and external?
These and other questions were triggered by always hearing news of the persecution of Muslims by forces from within and without. They have been exploited and humiliated by domestic and foreign powers and subjected to gruesome cruelty and innumerable atrocities, including genocide.
All communities face threats to their life, safety, and survival. But if they are internally strong, they can weather such challenges and live with dignity. The long period of time during which Muslims have been subjected to extensive levels of prejudice and acts of violence suggests that as a global community, we are internally weak, fragile, and highly vulnerable. But what makes us so?
My Hajj
My Hajj kafela (group) had about 70hujjaj (pilgrims), who flew from Dhaka to Madinah. After staying in the Prophet’s city for about eight days, we went to Mecca by bus. We stayed in the holiest city in Islam for 28 days during which we performed Umrah, Hajj, and other acts of worship.
While in Madinah and Mecca, I got answers to the questions that I had wanted to ask the Prophet.
The huge crowd of Muslims during the Hajj season is a microcosm of the global Muslim community. As they come from all countries on earth, at least to an extent, their behavior and way of life represent those of Muslims around the world.
Unfortunately, many hujjaj seem to be stunted in their understanding of Islam and are often not responsible in their actions. In some cases, their behavior was chaotic and senseless.
For example, for a considerable number of hujjaj, the gap between tawhid (monotheism) and shirk (polytheism) was narrow. This was especially manifested during their visit to the Prophet’s resting place on the premises of Masjid al-Nabawi. The Prophet is reported to have said, “Those who came before you took the graves of their Prophets and righteous people as places of worship. Do not take graves as places of worship – I forbid you to do that” (Sahih al-Bukhari 3453, 3454).
Accordingly, Masjid al-Nabawi authorities have measures to prevent the Prophet’s grave from becoming a place of worship. Despite that, many pilgrims were prone to express excessive adoration and reverence toward his grave and even attempted to use it as a vessel to resolve their spiritual problems or to have their wishes fulfilled.
Aside from theological questions, I noticed other unacceptable misdemeanors from pilgrims.
The Saudi authorities have ensured that there are conveniently located sufficient trash cans – in all places where the pilgrims generally frequent. Despite this, many pilgrims littered the sacred precincts with full or empty water bottles and other garbage. Astonishingly, the sacred area of tawaf (the sevenfold circumambulation of the Kabah) was also littered with water bottles and other trash.
More regrettably, many pilgrims exhibited the abhorrent, shameful habit of spitting anywhere, and thus making a mess. The worst victim of this irresponsible littering and spitting was Ibrahim al-Khalil Street adjacent to Masjid al-Haram in Mecca. It is perhaps the world’s most sacred street not only because of its proximity to the Kabah, but also because it serves as a site for the daily prayers.
Because of space constraints in Masjid al-Haram, especially during the Hajj season, many pilgrims spread prayer mats on and beside Ibrahim al-Khalil Street to perform their daily and Friday prayers. Although there are trash cans every 50 or so feet, many pilgrims litter and spit right onto this street.
Sanitation workers continuously clean the area, but it is difficult to comprehend how followers of a religion that puts so much emphasis on purity and cleanliness can litter and spit on the ground even when they are in a sacred precinct and on a mission to perform the sacred duties of Hajj and Umrah.
Addiction and Bad Habits on Hajj
Another issue is gadget addiction among many pilgrims. While they were supposed to concentrate on devotional activities like praying and reading the Quran, many were fidgeting with smartphones and surfing the Internet. Some were making video calls and speaking so loudly that it was impossible to ignore. Some were even making video calls while doing the tawaf. They showed little respect for others who were trying to focus on acts of worship.
If people fail to avoid being addicted to smartphones even during Hajj and Umrah, what does this tell us about their normal lifestyle? How much time are they likely to spend on gadgets at home and workplaces and for what purposes?
Worse than that, some people were smoking not far from Masjid al-Haram.
These unfortunate habits were not confined to a handful of pilgrims. The number of Muslims who exhibited such disturbing behavior in the two holy places was overwhelming to me. If this is their behavioral norm and disposition, how can they live up to their responsibilities as God’s vicegerents on earth? How can they face various challenges in a world that presents incalculable pitfalls and loopholes for them?
What is most worrying is that such ill-behaving Muslims join innumerable Islamic congregations and listen to Friday khutbahs (sermons) and speeches of imams and other Islamic preachers. In such gatherings, do they get the right Islamic message? What has gone wrong with Islamic preaching in our time? I may not have the right answers to such fundamental questions, but educated Muslims must address such issues for the collective wellbeing of their people.
Indeed, unless Muslims address their inner weaknesses and become well-equipped and well-organized (religiously, intellectually, and otherwise), it is unlikely that they will emerge as a strong community and regain their dignity and good standing in the world.
Md Mahmudul Hasan, Ph.D., is Professor in the Department of English Language and Literature, International Islamic University Malaysia.
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