Every year, millions of Muslims from across the globe converge in Mecca for the pilgrimage of Hajj — an act deeply spiritual, profoundly symbolic, but at the same time, inherently political.

While often perceived in the West as an internal Islamic affair, Hajj, according to Islamic scripture, is far more expansive in scope. It is a global phenomenon, a ritual with implications for all of humanity, not just for Muslims.

When Allah commanded Prophet Ibrahim, “And proclaim to the people the Hajj” (Qur’an, 22:27), the divine instruction was not directed solely at believers.

“The people” includes all of humankind — a declaration that Hajj is meant to guide and manage not only Muslims but all people toward a higher moral, social, and spiritual order to cultivate unity, equality, and justice among all people.

Hajj: A Symbolic Political Ritual with Spiritual Content

Hajj may be unique among religious obligations in that its form and structure are entirely political, yet its content remains deeply and purely spiritual, with each one of its components carrying a symbolic dimension and reference to human life.

This duality is not a contradiction — it is, in fact, central to the philosophy of Hajj. It embodies a convergence of communal mobilization and personal devotion, social movement and spiritual elevation.

Millions of people from all over the world gather in Mecca, synchronized in time and space. This mass convergence is essentially political and has profound political implications — unity, organization, communication, and solidarity.

And yet, it is rooted in spirituality as all pilgrims begin their pilgrimage with the chants of “Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk” (Here I am, O Allah, here I am) in unison, supplication, and worship of Allah.

Ihram, the initial state of consecration a Muslim is required to enter before performing the pilgrimage rituals of Hajj, symbolizes this concept perfectly. All pilgrims, whether kings or peasants, must abandon stitched, luxurious, or decorated clothing and wear two simple white cloths, erasing all traces of class, status, and race distinctions.

Millions of people from all races, languages, and backgrounds wearing identical garments and chanting in unison represent the unity of the Muslim Ummah and, more broadly, of humanity. It also serves as a powerful reminder that all are equal before Allah, regardless of wealth, race, or class.

From a more spiritual perspective, ihram is a powerful reminder of life’s temporary nature. The white cloth resembles a shroud, making pilgrims reflect on death, accountability, and the ultimate meeting with Allah. It also signifies humility, devotion, and submission to the divine will.

Tawaf, or circumambulation of the Ka’bah, is a vivid lesson in monotheism. As millions of pilgrims flow in concentric circles around the Ka’bah in Mecca, they are not merely participating in a religious ritual — they are embodying a philosophy that is at the very core of Islamic faith: tawhid, or monotheism. It is a living metaphor for how a believer’s entire existence should revolve around the divine.

In performing tawaf, pilgrims are taught that monotheism is not limited to a mere passive belief but a call for action that must penetrate every layer of human life. Muslims must organize their entire existence — governance, economy, education, and relationships — around Allah.

The current global order suffers from brutal wars that are starving entire nations, exploitation of the weak by the superpowers, mass unjust killing of the innocents in places like Gaza, and more. The root of all these problems is what the Qur’an refers to as taghut — false authorities or powers that selfishly lead people away from Allah.

Without a monotheistic divine center, the world has descended into a godless international system, where force, manipulation, and strategic interests of a few powerful people replace morality, compassion, and justice.

Hajj teaches that a monotheistic worldview is not only a theological idea but a solution to the cruelty, selfishness, war, and colonialism that plague humanity. If these standards replaced the current secular, power-based model of global governance, the world would be transformed into a place where all of humanity would thrive under the banner of justice and morality derived from monotheism.

In Sa’i, the brisk walking between the hills of Safa and Marwah, pilgrims are taught the lesson of perseverance and struggle. It reflects the ceaseless human effort required to overcome life’s challenges, encouraging resolve, action, and forward momentum.

Rooted in the story of Hajar, the wife of Prophet Ibrahim and mother of Prophet Isma’il, the Sa’i reenacts her desperate search for water in the barren desert of Mecca. Left with her infant child in obedience to Allah’s command, Hajar ran between the two hills seven times, driven not by despair, but by unshakable faith and determination.

Today, millions of pilgrims perform this very act during Hajj, walking the same path, under the same sky, remembering that divine help arrives when human effort reaches its peak. Just as Hajar’s relentless movement led to the miraculous gushing of the Zamzam well, the Sa’i remains a vivid symbol that in every challenge, striving must not stop.

Pilgrims do not remain in Mecca and must travel to Arafat, Muzdalifah, and Mina. This enforced journey is a reminder that human beings were created for movement. Stillness, in this context, is spiritually unnatural. Human potential — intelligence, strength, creativity — must be mobilized in pursuit of divine and worldly good.

The sacrifice at Mina recalls Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to offer his son Isma’il upon Allah’s command. It is the supreme lesson of devotion and selflessness. Faith demands not just giving up one’s possessions, but offering oneself, and those dearest, in service to truth and justice.

As the pilgrimage progresses, pilgrims arrive at Mina to perform one of the most striking and symbolic acts of Hajj: Rami al-Jamarat, the stoning of the devil. At face value, this ritual consists of throwing pebbles at three stone pillars — representations of Satan — recalling the story of Prophet Ibrahim, who, when commanded by Allah to sacrifice his son, was tempted by Satan on three occasions.

Each time, he repelled Satan by throwing stones at him, affirming his obedience to the divine command.

However, the act is not a reenactment for spectacle. It is a call to resistance, not just against personal sin, but to recognize and confront systemic evil — tyranny, oppression, and deception — wherever it resides.

The pillars may be made of stone, but what they represent are the deeply rooted forces of corruption, arrogance, and deception that have plagued human history and continue to dominate our world today.

Thus, Rami al-Jamarat is a political statement as much as it is a spiritual one. It is an expression of the pilgrim’s will to reject evil, in whatever form it appears. It is a living act of worship that commands the pilgrims to see the devils of their time — in systems, in powers, and in themselves — and to throw the stone, however small, with unshakable resolve.

Hajj and the Unity of the Muslim Ummah Against Oppression

The Holy Qur’an states one of the reasons behind Hajj as, “So they may witness benefits for themselves” (Qur’an 22:28). In the current state of the Islamic world, no benefit is greater today than unity among Muslims.

A united Muslim Ummah would be a transformative force against the enemies of Muslims. Injustice in Palestine, suffering in Yemen, foreign interference and puppet leadership in Islamic countries, etc., are consequences of the division present among Muslims today.

When disunity reigns, colonial powers like the United States, Israel, and various European countries assert dominance over fragmented Muslim states.

The result is what we see in Gaza, where an extremely vulnerable population suffers while most Muslim leaders have established ties with the Zionist entity or are on the verge of normalizing relations with the oppressive regime.

Imam Khomeini’s Call for the Revival of True Hajj

It was Imam Khomeini who revived the true essence of Hajj in modern history. He described Hajj as an opportunity to voice opposition to oppression, particularly U.S. imperialism and Israeli aggression, by a united Muslim Ummah.

What was traditionally considered a mere religious and spiritual journey was viewed by Imam Khomeini as a powerful platform for political awakening of the Muslim Ummah. After the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, Imam Khomeini’s annual messages to pilgrims repeatedly emphasized the political essence of Hajj.

In his 1988 message, Imam Khomeini urged Muslims to ponder over the true meaning of Hajj. He emphasized that Hajj is not just a “form of collective worship” or a “pilgrimage-tourist travel,” but a profound spiritual and political act where Muslims learn to live righteously, resist oppression, and reclaim their rights from global powers.

Imam Khomeini believed that turning a blind eye and condemning those who speak out for the rights of the Muslim Ummah is a betrayal of the very essence of Hajj:

“It is not true Islam to only make a pilgrimage to Mecca, to circumambulate the holy Ka’bah and perform other rituals, while you do not care what the arrogant powers are doing to the people and the Muslims, stay indifferent and condemn those who speak in the interests of Muslims.”

In Imam Khomeini’s view, a true, meaningful Hajj is the one in which Muslims from different nations unite under the banner of Islam against their common enemies.

A Hajj that fails to address the interests of Muslims and ignores or suppresses the suffering and oppression faced by Muslims around the world is a “meaningless form” in the eyes of Islam. A Hajj in which Muslims from different nations are “awakened” and “unified” is the one expected by Allah.

Following the overthrow of the U.S.-backed Shah in Iran and the victory of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini introduced the ritual of ‘Disavowal of the Polytheists’ (bara’at min al-mushrikeen), in which the pilgrims should denounce tyrannical powers by holding rallies and chanting slogans during Hajj.

He considered the declaration of dissociation and disaffection with respect to the polytheists as an “essential principle of monotheism” and “an essential dimension of Hajj.”

According to Imam Khomeini’s views, modern superpowers — those who control and manipulate Muslim countries — are the “big idols” of today. They are the Pharaohs and the Nimrods, who must be opposed just as Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Muhammad opposed the idols of their time.

The issue of Palestine always remained at the forefront for Imam Khomeini, and he believed that the gathering of Hajj — where millions of Muslims from different countries converge — was a perfect opportunity for the Ummah to voice their hatred and rejection of the Zionist occupation of Palestinian lands:

“How astonishing that ever since that tragic carnage and usurpation of Palestine, the silence and complicity of the heads of Muslim countries and their compliance with the usurper Israel have increased day by day.”

Imam Khomeini’s introduction of the practice of ‘Disavowal of the Polytheists’ (bara’at min al-mushrikeen) was a powerful means through which Muslims could collectively denounce tyranny, injustice, and global oppression. It embodied the broader political messaging Imam Khomeini consistently emphasized in his teachings about Hajj.

Through his annual messages and guidance, Imam Khomeini sought to revive the original purpose of Hajj: intertwining its deeply spiritual essence with a profound call for political consciousness, unity, and action among Muslims worldwide.

Following the teachings of Imam Khomeini, Iranian pilgrims began organizing peaceful demonstrations calling for Muslim unity, an end to U.S. and Israeli oppression, and support for Palestinian liberation.

What clearly was an expression of the Qur’anic and prophetic tradition of standing up for justice was considered a dangerous provocation by the Saudi authorities.

The situation reached a boiling point on July 31, 1987, when tens of thousands of Iranian pilgrims held a pre-approved demonstration in Mecca.

As the protesters marched toward Masjid al-Haram, Saudi security forces opened fire on them and attacked them with tear gas and burning water. Around 325 Iranian pilgrims were killed, 202 of them women.

Imam Khomeini delivered a blistering condemnation of the Saudi regime, holding it responsible for the deaths of hundreds of defenseless pilgrims during what was intended to be a peaceful protest. In a statement issued just days after the massacre, Imam Khomeini declared:

“The criminal hands of the U.S. and Israel are visible once again in the acts of their agents, the Saudis, the hypocritical rulers of Saudi Arabia and traitors to the sanctity of the two holy cities. This time their target was the hearts of the most devoted Muslims and the guests of God. The self-styled ‘host of the pilgrims’ and the ‘keepers of the Holy Mosque’ caused streams of the blood of Muslims to flow in the streets and alleys of Mecca.”

This statement captured the depth of outrage against an act of betrayal at the highest level, committed by a regime that claimed to be the custodian of Islam’s holiest sites while serving the interests of Western imperialism and Zionism.

Saudi Arabia and Cultural Liberalization

The situation has only deteriorated in recent years. While Saudi Arabia continues its dramatic, un-Islamic pivot toward cultural liberalization — welcoming Western pop icons, relaxing long-standing bans on public entertainment, and edging closer to legalizing alcohol in designated zones — it has simultaneously escalated its clampdown on political expression during the Hajj pilgrimage.

At the same time that concerts are being held in Riyadh and Jeddah with flashing lights and celebrity fanfare, Muslims who attempt to raise awareness about Palestine, Yemen, or Western-backed oppression during Hajj are silenced, surveilled, or even arrested.

In 2024, Saudi authorities arrested several pilgrims of diverse nationalities for the simple act of wearing the Palestinian keffiyeh, a quiet gesture of solidarity with the besieged people of Palestine.

Such detentions are no longer anomalies but routine, underscoring Riyadh’s deliberate effort to reduce Hajj to an apolitical ritual stripped of its historic role as a platform for global Muslim unity and resistance against oppression.

Hajj, a divine command to promote unity, awakening, and resistance — an essential political-spiritual moment as envisioned by figures like Imam Khomeini — is being hollowed out, reduced to a strictly controlled ritual devoid of its revolutionary and collective dimensions.

This deliberate suppression raises uncomfortable but necessary questions for the Muslim Ummah: How can the same state that claims guardianship of the two holiest sites in Islam simultaneously serve as a gatekeeper to spiritual awakening and a barrier to Muslim solidarity?

And at what cost does this politicization of Hajj through silencing occur, when the very essence of the pilgrimage calls for collective consciousness, sacrifice, and disavowal of tyranny?