Saudi king rejects mixing Hajj with politics

[Devil Soul]

Saudi king rejects mixing Hajj with politics
By AFP
Published: September 13, 2016
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Saudi Arabia’s King Salman. PHOTO: REUTERS

MECCA, SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi King Salman said on Tuesday the kingdom rejected any attempt to play politics with the hajj, the annual pilgrimage which has added to tensions between Riyadh and Tehran.

For the first time in nearly three decades, Iran’s 64,000 pilgrims are not attending the hajj in Saudi Arabia after the two regional rivals failed to agree on security and logistics.

Among its concerns, Riyadh said Tehran had demanded the right to organise demonstrations.

“The kingdom categorically rejects that the hajj serves any political purpose,” Salman, 80, said in a brief address to international VIPs attending the pilgrimage.

Saudi Grand Mufti not to deliver Hajj sermon for first time in 35 years

Tehran had accused Riyadh of “blocking the path leading to Allah.”

Among the contentious issues was security after last year’s hajj stampede which, according to foreign officials, killed roughly 2,300 people.

Iran reported the largest number of victims, at 464.

Just days before this year’s hajj, which began on Saturday, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei questioned Saudi Arabia’s right to manage Islam’s holiest sites.

He called the Saudi ruling family “puny Satans” who had politicised the pilgrimage. Khamenei also said Saudi authorities “murdered” the stampede victims.

His claims led to mutual accusations throughout last week.

Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti Abdulaziz al-Sheikh retaliated by telling a newspaper that Iranians “are not Muslims”.

Saudi Arabia, Iran trade barbs

The six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, of which Saudi Arabia is the most powerful member, accused Iran of “a desperate attempt to politicise” the hajj and said Khamenei’s remarks were offensive.

More than 1.8 million faithful from around the world have been attending the annual pilgrimage which officially ends on Thursday.

“Serving the guests of God is an honour for us,” Salman told the VIP delegates.

Saudi Arabia had said Iranians were still welcome at the hajj if they came from another country. The hajj ministry’s spokesmperson said “a number” who held other passports were in attendance.

He was not more specific.

Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia and Shia Iran have no diplomatic relations and are at odds over a number of regional issues including the wars in Syria and Yemen.

 

[AmirPatriot]

The entire point of saying that Mecca and Medina should be independent as a non-political state is to keep it from being used politically.

 

[Luffy 500]

Lets NOT forget that its Iran who like always drew the first blood. They are the ones who boycotted hajj and prevented their people from making hajj. The saudis DID NOT prevent iranians from coming. Now if Khamenei wants to play dirty politics what can the Saudis do?

 

[SouI]

Lets NOT forget that its Iran who like always drew the first blood. They are the ones who boycotted hajj and prevented their people from making hajj. The saudis DID NOT prevent iranians from coming. Now if Khamenei wants to play dirty politics what can the Saudis do?

I wish our government did the same.

Hajj itself is political and thus should be outright banned permanently.

 

[Luffy 500]

I wish our government did the same.

Hajj itself is political and thus should be outright banned permanently.

You are a fanatic secular liberal who hates islam with a passion. SO that's an expected post from the likes of you. Anyway , last time I checked , majority of Turks are sunni muslims following the hanafi madhab. Has that situation changed?

 

[Serpentine]

Lets NOT forget that its Iran who like always drew the first blood. They are the ones who boycotted hajj and prevented their people from making hajj. The saudis DID NOT prevent iranians from coming. Now if Khamenei wants to play dirty politics what can the Saudis do?

Let's cut the BS to the core. Last year, because of sheer incompetency of Saudis in managing Hajj, 400 of our civilians were killed, along with more than 3000 other Muslims. Many other countries didn't have the spine to protest and ask Saudis to explain and consider them responsible, but we had and we did. This year, we demanded some guarantees for safety of our pilgrims which they refused to give. Not only that, they also refused to make a simple apology for the disaster that happened last year.

You as a Salafi may not be able to see through the glass, but it's very obvious as daylight itself that it wasn't Iran that made Hajj a political matter, it's just that many other countries were too spineless to stand up and demand an explanation on why more than 3000 people were killed in 2 different accidents because of sheer incompetency of Saudis.

 

[Luffy 500]

Let's cut the BS to the core. Last year, because of sheer incompetency of Saudis in managing Hajj, 400 of our civilians were killed, along with more than 3000 other Muslims. Many other countries didn't have the spine to protest and ask Saudis to explain and consider them responsible, but we had and we did. This year, we demanded some guarantees for safety of our pilgrims which they refused to give. Not only that, they also refused to make a simple apology for the disaster that happened last year.

You as a Salafi may not be able to see through the glass, but it's very obvious as daylight itself that it wasn't Iran that made Hajj a political matter, it's just that many other countries were too spineless to stand up and demand an explanation on why more than 3000 people were killed in 2 different accidents because of sheer incompetency of Saudis.

Firstly , the saudis do an excellent job managing the annual hajj - which is a gargantuan logistical task. The Saudis have shown that they have one of the best management skills in the world.

Secondly , muslims have to first and foremost accept the decree of Allah (swt). And last year's tragic incidents was part of Allah (swt) decree.

Thirdly , we can NOT blame the saudi goverment for the incident , since by the grace of Allah (swt) , they have flawlessly managed hajj for 100 years and is pouring billions of $$$ to upgrade and expand the site of hajj. The subsequent inquiry also did NOT put the blame on their management. As muslims we DO NOT speculate and look for faults and jump to conclusions.

Fourthly , Iran did NOT have spine or anything. It only has a tendency to look for trouble and cause fitna and fasad. The whole world knows which group of people uses hajj gathering as a ground for political demonstrations.

Fifthly , Iran dared prohibited its citizens from hajj , because hajj for Iranian leaders is NOT that important compared to their annual pilgrimage to certain places in iraq. The sunnis of Iran (oppressed an persecuted for centuries) are the most to suffer for this political shenanigan by iranian leadership.

 

[raptor22]

Firstly, the saudis do an excellent job managing the annual hajj - which can be a logistical nightmare. The Saudis have shown that they have one of the best management skills in the world.

Secondly , muslims have to first and foremost accept the decree of Allah (swt). And last year's tragic incidents was part of Allah (swt) decree.

Thirdly , we can NOT blame the saudi goverment for the incident since by the grace of Allah (swt) , they have flawlessly managed hajj for 100 years and is pouring billions of $$$ to upgrade and expand the site of hajj. The subsequent inquiry also did NOT put the blame squarely on their management. As muslims we DO NOT speculate and look for faults and jump to conclusions.

Fourthly , Iran did NOT have spine or anything. It only has a tendency to look for trouble and cause fitna and fasad. The whole world knows which group of people uses hajj gathering as a ground for political demonstrations.

Iran dared prohibited its citizens from hajj , because hajj for Iranian leaders is NOT that important compared to their annual pilgrimage to certain place in iraq. The sunnis of Iran (oppressed an persecuted for centuries) are the most to suffer for this political shenanigans by iranian leadership.

 

[Mamluk]

Saudi king is a veritable $cum. Take his words with a jar of salt. He doesn't mean it.. just politics.

 

[alarabi]

It was not the first that Iran boycotted Hajj.
Iran tried in 1345 H to ban its citizen from performing Hajj when Mecca was under the rule of Ottoman-backed Hijazi government.
Iran threatened those who went to preform Hajj to be unable to back to their houses and all their proprieties will be taken away from them!

Safavids have a deep problem with performing Hajj no matter who is ruling them in IRan.

 

[beast89]

funny the saudi royals still use the fake number of hajj fatalities of around of 700 instead of the 2000 plus for political reasons.

View attachment 334307

he's still waiting for the coward royals to send men into syria.

 

[ConcealCarry]

They have never been used politically, the whole issue is raised to actually politicize them. Iran never had any problems in the last 30 years, so what happened now?

The entire point of saying that Mecca and Medina should be independent as a non-political state is to keep it from being used politically.

 

[AmirPatriot]

They have never been used politically, the whole issue is raised to actually politicize them. Iran never had any problems in the last 30 years, so what happened now?

Thousands have died in the past 30 years due to Saudi incompetence. That is a problem. Also, issues like Saudi authorities confiscating turbahs and other violations, as well as numerous occasions where Saudis have used the Hajj politically, like recently.

What the Islamic world needs is a small, neutral state in that area which would be run by the OIC. This state would serve purely as one facilitating the Hajj.

 

[Al-Andalus]

King Salman is perfectly right.

Makkah and Madinah are not only sovereign ancient Arab cities (some of the oldest in the world) but also sovereign Saudi Arabian cities. They have nothing to do with Iran, never had and never will. The fact that our ancestors conquered them and made them Muslim does not give them authority over our indigenous lands. If that is the case we Arabs can claim territory that only the short-lived Mongol Empire and British Empire can rival. Including all of Iran.

Arab dynasties originating from modern-day KSA, more specifically Hijaz, have controlled Makkah and Madinah directly and formally for over 1000 years in the past 1400 years of Islamic history. Even during the 400 year old Ottoman authority the de facto local rulers were the Sharif of Makkah and Madinah.

However what has never changed is the fact that local Hijazis have inhabited Hijaz continuously for 1400 years and that remains the case despite the fact that the current ruling dynasty of modern-day KSA derives from Najd which is 1 out of many historical regions of Arabia. Thus no strangers or foreigners are ruling this part of KSA but local Arabs.

If people do not like those historical and current facts they can cry themselves to sleep. Nothing will change.

We have been bestowed by Allah (swt) to care and protect Makkah and Madinah and this bond will never end.

If somebody (foreigners) want to chase us away from our ancient native lands they are welcome to try.

End of discussion.

Thousands have died in the past 30 years due to Saudi incompetence. That is a problem. Also, issues like Saudi authorities confiscating turbahs and other violations, as well as numerous occasions where Saudis have used the Hajj politically, like recently.

What the Islamic world needs is a small, neutral state in that area which would be run by the OIC. This state would serve purely as one facilitating the Hajj.

Stampedes are usually caused by the inadequate behavior of pilgrims or large masses of people. So was the stampede last year. Once again Iranian pilgrims where in the spotlight as usual. There is nothing wrong with the architecture (lack of space etc.) or the way Saudi Arabia conducts its business.

As for Iranian behavior during the Hajj since 1979, let us not even discuss that. No nationality has caused as many problems nor has any nationality been this obsessed about turning sacred religious rituals into political manifestations.

Examples of that being the case can be found in the dozens upon dozens. No point discussing this topic further.

Lastly you should worry about your own country and not question the sovereign territory of other nations.

Maybe we should turn Qom and Mashhad into neutral states run by the OIC. How about that? If you don't like such an idea, then keep quite.

As for banning pilgrims. Your OWN government has banned Iranian citizens living in Iran from attending Hajj this year. Not the other way around. Iranians holding foreign passports are present in Makkah and Madinah right now. Nor is KSA going to give you special treatment that they will not give, say Pakistan. I

if you don't like the status quo then continue to ban your citizens.
However remember that there are 1.6 BILLION other Muslims out there and as of today only 0,1% of those get the chance to perform Hajj on a yearly basis. Indonesian Muslims are waiting 37 years on average to perform Hajj for instance. They and all others will happily take your place.

http://saudigazette.com.sa/saudi-arabia/indonesians-wait-37-years-perform-haj/

It was not the first that Iran boycotted Hajj.
Iran tried in 1345 H to ban its citizen from performing Hajj when Mecca was under the rule of Ottoman-backed Hijazi government.
Iran threatened those who went to preform Hajj to be unable to back to their houses and all their proprieties will be taken away from them!

Safavids have a deep problem with performing Hajj no matter who is ruling them in IRan.

 

[The Sandman]

Hajj itself is political and thus should be outright banned permanently.

WHAT? you do realise that Hajj is mandatory on those Muslim who can perform it? meaning they're perfect health wise and financially they can afford it. How can you "ban" Hajj it is the 5th "pillar" of Islam.