Many people think that Hajj has become difficult in this age because of the overwhelming crowds. They assume that the discomfort resulting from a certain problem requires certain types of dispensations and concessions, which were not mentioned by the people of knowledge and insight among the righteous predecessors nor did competent contemporary scholars research them.
The truth is that if we reflect upon the conditions of pilgrims through the different ages of Islam, we will discover the facilities offered for the people of this age are superior in many respects.
In the past, the Hajj journey was often very long and arduous – people had to cross vast deserts and were exposed to dangers on the roads in the form of bandits. For this reason, a number of renowned figures such as Ibn Hazm and Al-Qaadhi ‘Iyaadh abandoned heading towards the two Holy Mosques in spite of their deep longing for the rituals and their yearning for the holy sites, the Mawaaqeet (places where pilgrims are required to assume Ihraam) and the places of slaughtering offerings.
In fact, the crowds we see these days are not a modern problem. In the past, the holy sites remained in the same state as in the first era of Islam. The earlier expansions were not as wide as the expansions of this age. Rather, the place for Tawaaf was narrow and sometimes it was struck by floods, before its course was diverted away from the Sacred House. Thus, some people had to swim in order to perform Tawaaf around the Ka‘bah. This even happened after diverting the course of the flood. Some scholars listed the virtues of certain righteous people by reporting that they swam around the House to perform Tawaaf. This was mentioned about ‘Abdullaah ibn Az-Zubayr, may Allah be pleased with both of them. They also said: Al-Badr ibn Jamaa‘ah performed Tawaaf around the House swimming and whenever he reached the Black Stone, he would dive to kiss it. This was also mentioned about a group of Makkans.
Moreover, we have seen photographs taken in the middle of the last Hijri century showing the Masjid filled with water and some people swimming around the Ka‘bah.
The place of Sa‘y, just like the place of Tawaaf, had no ceiling. Its width, according to the book of Al-Azraqi, was thirty-five and a half cubits [Taareekh Makkah] and a little less than that according to the book of Ibraaheem Al-Harbi, Al-Manaasik. However, it was surrounded by houses as reported by some of those who wrote the history of the Sacred House. Besides, the presence of peddlers and passersby further reduced the width of the place of Sa‘y. Some of our scholars who witnessed these landmarks more than half a century ago told us that it was very well-known that traders displayed their goods in the place of Sa‘y, especially on the day of ‘Eed.
‘Arafah was an open place with no buildings. People used to avoid its sand dunes, preferring the place of stones at the foot of the mountain and jostle therein to the extent that some poets used to mention that place as a simile for extreme crowdedness. In fact, jostling around the mountain was an old pre-Islamic custom.
Ilaal: As-Suhayli and others mentioned that Ilaal is the mountain of ‘Arafah. When people saw it, they would walk quickly and diligently to reach the place of standing. [Ar-Rawdh Al-'Unuf]
Standing at Ilaal was mentioned in the poetry of old and modern Muslims. Jostling around it happens even in our present time. Ilaal is what is known today as Jabal Ar-Rahmah (the mountain of mercy) as stated by Shaykh Al-Islam in Iqtidhaa’ As-Siraat Al-Mustaqeem and many jurists.
It is not strange to read in the biographies of some famous people that they died while performing Hajj, despite their fame and the special care and attention they must have received due to it. There are many accounts of accidents affecting ordinary Muslims.
You can read in the books of history: six thousand pilgrims of such and such region died because of the lack of provisions and the blockage of water springs. [Al-Bidaayah wan-Nihaayah] Another instance regarding the death of pilgrims of certain regions is what happened with the pilgrims of Isfahan in some years and they were about twenty thousand. [Al-Bidaayah wan-Nihaayah] Moreover, Ibn Katheer said about the accidents of some years, "Nobody stood on ‘Arafah that year except Ismaa`eel ibn Yoosuf and the thieves who were with him. May Allah not accept from them – neither repentance or compensation." [Al-Bidaayah wan-Nihaayah]
Furthermore, you can read about death because of jostling at particular gates of the mosque. Ibn Hajar said about the accidents of the year 784 A.H. in Inbaa’ Al-Ghumr, "In that year, the pilgrims in Makkah were so many to the extent that forty people died at the gate of As-Salaam. Shayk Naasir Ad-Deen ibn ‘Ashaa’ir said that he saw seventeen of them dead after the crowds increased and that the Shaykhs of Makkah mentioned that they never witnessed a Hajj more crowded than the Hajj of that year." [Inbaa’ Al-Ghumr bi Anbaa’ Al-‘Umr]
Ibn Adh-Dhiyaa’ said in Tareekh Makkah that in the year 581 A.H., thirty-four people died at the Ka‘bah. In that year, a group of people died in the place of Sa‘y because of overcrowding due to the large numbers of those who performed Hajj that year from Iraq and Sham. [It-haaf Al-Wara bi Akhbaar Um Al-Qura by Ibn Fahd]
To be continued …