MAKKAH IS NOT SAFE 😔
It pains me to utter these words, but it’s a harsh reality we must face. The lands of Makkah and Madina hold a special place in our hearts 💖, yet they are not immune to danger. Behind the veil of spirituality lies a shadow of fear 😨, as not everyone who visits these sacred sites has noble intentions.
Let me tell you a story of an 18-year-old in Hajj with us. I will name him Yusuf. 🧑🦯
Here is a brief description of him:
- Disabled (hearing aid) 👂
- Speech is affected due to lack of hearing 🗣️
- 18 years old - young and naive 🌱
10:00 - We were exhausted from our lengthy drive from Blackburn to London and our subsequent layover flight from Heathrow to Jeddah. Our group leader informed us upon our arrival at the hotel that we would not be performing Umrah till after Isha, So we decided to go perform Umrah on our own.
When Yusuf inquired about whether he should perform his Umrah alone too, I told him to go with the group. 🚶♂️🚶♀️
Against my advice, Yusuf decided to go anyway.
15:00 - Having finished our Umrah, we were returning to the Azizya “hotel” (you can read the previous post to understand why it is in quotes). On the way back, our taxi driver made a mistaken turn, and what did we see? Yusuf was attempting to find his way back to the hotel when we noticed him by the side of the road. He came racing when I called him his name through my window. He broke down in tears as he sat in the car. 😢 So what happened to Yusuf, how did he end up in this position?
Once Yusuf finished his Umrah he needed to go back to Azizya. Remember that our hotel’s location could only be found via its coordinates. He found a driver who would take him, and as he got inside the cab, the driver offered to take him somewhere. “Please pass your phone so I can use it for the directions,” the driver asks. Yusuf hands the driver his Galaxy Fold 4. Suddenly, the driver exits the car and moves toward the boot. Confused, Yusuf gets out of the car. The taxi driver dashes back inside and takes off. Leaving him alone, without a phone or money. 💔
THE WORST PART? Without his phone, his hearing aids don’t work properly. 📵
This is not a post to deter people away from Hajj, please go visit the holy mosque but be vigilant and aware. Do not be naive and think nothing bad can happen in these places.
Do not fall into scams and traps. Many people will come and tell you a heartfelt story about losing their money/wallet/passport. Use your professional judgement but 99% of these are scammers. 🚫💸
The best part? Our entire group got to look after Yusuf, we all looked after him and helped him with his issues. This could have been Allah’s way of sending us an extra challenge during our Hajj. 🤲
May Yusuf’s story serve as a cautionary tale, reminding us to remain vigilant amidst the sanctity of Makkah. Let us cherish these holy lands while safeguarding ourselves and each other. 🕋 #HajjSafety #StayVigilant #Hajjtoptips
