The Hajj – Adapting the Global Islamic Ritual to Pandemic Conditions

Authors

  • Milan Vukomanović Department of Sociology, Faculty of Philosphy, University of Belgrade, Serbia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21301/eap.v17i1.7

Keywords:

Hajj, Covid-19, pandemic, ritual, pilgrimage

Abstract

This paper looks at how the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca (the Hajj) adapted to the novel circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. The pandemic has been an entirely novel and, probably, dominant liminal situation which has significantly affected the behavior of the faithful and the way in which their individual identity has been transformed, at least in the psychological sense. Following an introductory overview, which provides a brief description of the ritual process of the Hajj, the author briefly looks at the various ways of travel to Saudi Arabia from a historical perspective, as well as at new technical and health aspects which entailed the adaptation of this global ritual to pandemic conditions. Rituals are, undoubtedly, deeply connected to human psychological, but also social needs and inclinations, and help preserve functionality in dysfunctional situations such as natural disasters or the spread of new diseases. Similarly, they provide a safe zone in conditions of drastic and unwanted change. The paper therefore points out the very specific type of ambivalence which accompanies the fact that the natural human reaction at times of crisis is to "close ranks", which became extremely difficult or practically unfeasible in conditions of social distancing implemented as a measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in 2020-21. The conclusion highlights the fact that the latest experience with COVID-19 has had medical, economic, social, political, psychological and religious implications with long-term consequences for the organization of the Hajj.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Algaissi A. at al. 2020. „Preparedness and response to COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia: building on MERS experience“. Jornal of Infection and Public Health 13: 834–838.

Bura, Nikola. 2012. Bez obdukcije. Novi Sad: Prometej.

Henderson, R. J. 1975. „Problems of Pilgrimages“. Postgraduate Medical Journal (December 1975) 51, 845-847.

Mandić, Marina. 2019. „Između stvarnog i zamišljenog: infektivna oboljenja u kinematografiji na primeru filma Variola Vera“. Etnoantropološki problemi 14(2): 487-505.

Radonjić, Ognjen. 2021. Kovid 19: Pandemija društvenih rizika i nesigurnosti. Beograd: Univerzitet u Beogradu - Filozofski fakultet.

Ristanović, Elizabeta et al. 2016. „Smallpox as an actual biothreat: lessons learned from its outbreak in ex-Yugoslavia in 1972“. December 2016. Annali dell'Istituto superiore di sanita 52(4): 587-597.

Ristović, Milan. 2021. Svakodnevica i društveni odgovori na epidemijske krize 1914–2020. Beograd: Univerzitet u Beogradu - Filozofski fakultet.

Ruthven, Malise. 2000. Islam in the World. New York: Oxford University Press.

Stojković, Lj. et al. Variola u Jugoslaviji 1972.g. Izabrani materijali sa jugoslovenskog simpozijuma o varioli održanog u Primoštenu od 21. do 24. novembra 1972. godine. Beograd, 1973.

Strong, Philip. 1990. „Epidemic psychology: a model“. Sociology of Health & Illness 12 (3) September: 249 – 259.

Tagliacozzo, Eric. 2013. The Longest Journey: Southeast Asians and the Pilgrimage to Mecca. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Tagliacozzo, Eric and Shawkat Toorawa. 2016. The Hajj: Pilgrimage in Islam. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Vukomanović, Milan. 2004. Religija. Beograd: Zavod za udžbenike i nastavna sredstva.

Internet Sources

Jokhdar H, Khan A, Asiri S, Motair W, Assiri A, Alabdulaali M, 2020. „COVID-19 mitigation plans during Hajj 2020: a success story of zero cases“. Health Security, Volume 19, Number 2, 2021. https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/hs.2020.0144.

Ministry of Health, 2020. Jeddah Toolkit for Mass Gatherings Risk Assessment. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. https://www.moh.gov.sa/Documents/Jeddah-toolkit-for-MGs-risk-assessment-v3.xlsx.

Omnia health, 2020. „Prompt Action Defines Saudi Arabia’s Success Story“ in Emerging from COVID-19. https://insights.omnia-health.com/hospital-management/prompt-action-defines-saudi-arabias-success-story-emerging-covid-19.

World Health Organization, 2020. „Key Planning Recommendations for Mass Gatherings in the Context of COVID-19“. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/10665-332235.

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/07/19/world/gallery/hajj-2021-pandemic/index.html

https://www.euronews.com/travel/2021/07/17/hajj-2021-how-this-year-s-pilgrimage-to-mecca-be-different-thanks-to-covid-travel-restrict

http://www.emro.who.int/media/news/hajj-2021-successful-and-safe-hajj-season-during-the-covid-19-pandemic.html

https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/saudi-arabia-population/

https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/saudi-arabia-population

https://www.abuaminaelias.com/dailyhadithonline/2016/09/06/hajj-itself-is-arafah/)

https://interactive.aljazeera.com/aje/2018/flying-to-hajj-2018/index.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/10/world/middleeast/saudi-arabia-mecca-umrah.html

https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/coronavirus-transforms-hajj-in-mecca-and-future-of-the-pilgrimage-121071800617_1.html

https://www.statista.com/statistics/617696/saudi-arabia-total-hajj-pilgrims/

Downloads

Published

2022-04-02

How to Cite

Vukomanović, Milan. 2022. “The Hajj – Adapting the Global Islamic Ritual to Pandemic Conditions”. Etnoantropološki Problemi Issues in Ethnology and Anthropology 17 (1):217–232. https://doi.org/10.21301/eap.v17i1.7.