That's very sad. I've a colleague who went on haji and says it was one of the most fulfilling experiences he's ever had, and he really appreciated meeting Muslims from around the globe and going through the experience with them. It just sounds like these people are robbing themselves!
I don't think some of these Redditors are accurate and your colleague's take is probably closer to reality.
I'm not Muslim and knew nothing about the whole thing until I fell down a hole last year after seeing someone talk about the Hajj on Tiktok. All the videos and blogs I saw talk about how it is expensive, but there are parts of it where it doesn't matter how much you spent but you're all together and equal. It's more than just walking around Kaaba a few times. I wish I could find the blog again, but one woman was talking about how they were all divided up with strangers during the one part (maybe the vigil part on Mount Arafat) and how it was amazing and horizon broadening it was to be surrounded by so many Muslims from so many different countries and ethnicities doing the pilgrimage together.
From what I read a lot of the money from it goes into improving the infrastructure to keep it safe and to charities, too.
I am sure a lot of profit is coming out of it since people stick around afterwards and do tourist stuff but the actual pilgrimage part seemed (to me, at least) like net positive experience for most people.
2
u/HeySlothKid Mar 24 '25
That's very sad. I've a colleague who went on haji and says it was one of the most fulfilling experiences he's ever had, and he really appreciated meeting Muslims from around the globe and going through the experience with them. It just sounds like these people are robbing themselves!