A group of Spanish Muslims set out on horseback three months ago from Andalusia to Mecca to perform Hajj, the fifth Islamic duty.
Wishing to revive the route and experience of Andalusian Muslims who traveled overland to Hajj more than five centuries ago, the group of future pilgrims has now reached Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), on their unusual journey.
Upon arriving in Sarajevo, the expedition members visited Bascarsija and other landmarks, symbolically stopping in front of the Hadzijska Mosque (Vekil-Harrach Mosque), the former departure point for Sarajevo’s Hajj pilgrims, thus reviving the tradition of Bosnian Muslims.
The organizer of this extraordinary journey, Abdelkader Harkassi Aidi, said that they had set out three months ago and had already crossed much of Europe. Expressing their satisfaction with their stay in BiH, the expedition members conveyed their deep gratitude to the BiH people for their hospitality and support.
“This is the highlight of our journey, thank God. We are grateful to the BiH people. They have helped us all along the way since we entered BiH,” said Harkassi Aidi.
He stated that they had not yet received permission to enter Serbia due to the “government collapse in that country seven days ago.”
When asked by journalists about his message from Sarajevo, Harkassi Aidi responded:
“Through this journey, we have learned that Allah makes everything possible. If you trust in Allah and embark on your project, you will achieve it. Alhamdulillah.”
After praying at the Hadzijska Mosque, the three future pilgrims continued their journey on horseback toward Mecca, AA writes.
