While Mecca and Medina, located in Saudi Arabia, are the holiest cities for nearly 2 billion Muslims worldwide, their sacred sites – especially in Mecca – represent a vulnerability for the Saudi royal family.

In 1979, burgeoning Sunni extremist terrorism attempted an ultimately unsuccessful coup to overthrow the ruling Saudi family by attacking, capturing, and besieging the city of Mecca. In recent years, Iranians have used Shia pilgrims to destabilize the kingdom, then accusing the ruling family of negligence, failing to properly protect the holy sites, and mismanaging the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

It’s noteworthy that one of the titles of the King of Saudi Arabia is “Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques” (Khādim al-Ḥaramayn ash-Sharīfayn). Every year, during the Festival of Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha), Saudi Arabia faces numerous challenges as it hosts millions of Muslim pilgrims from around the world. Despite the authorities’ best efforts, this year’s (2024) Hajj did not proceed peacefully.

The Origins of Hajj in Islam

The pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca is the fifth pillar of both Sunni and Shia Islam. Every year, millions of Muslims from around the world travel to Mecca for the Festival of Sacrifice, also known as “the Great Festival,” celebrated from the tenth day of the twelfth month (Dhu al-Hijjah) in the Islamic calendar. The festival lasts four days and is considered the most important and significant of the year. The holiday’s story is linked to the binding of Abraham’s son, but unlike Judaism, Muslims believe it was Ishmael, not Isaac, who was bound.

In principle, every adult Muslim who is spiritually and financially capable must make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime. Each year, the influx of millions of Muslims from around the globe to Mecca creates severe issues of overcrowding, heat-related challenges, and political tensions. While the core Hajj rites are performed only on specific days of the year, a generic pilgrimage to Mecca, known as “Umrah,” can be undertaken throughout the year.

Upon arriving in Mecca, pilgrims gather around the Kaaba and the sacred stone within it, considered by Muslims to be the shrine of Abraham, who established the pilgrimage. According to Muslim tradition, Abraham built the Kaaba, but in subsequent years, infidels and idol worshippers, who were enemies of the Prophet Muhammad, conducted pagan rituals there. However, in the 7th century, during the rise of Islam, the Prophet Muhammad and his followers purified this holy site and established the rituals and prayers associated with it.

According to Muslim tradition, the divine command for Abraham to perform the Hajj is recorded in the Quran, where God instructs him: “And proclaim to the people the Hajj; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel; they will come from every distant pass.” (Surah Al-Hajj 22:27). Additionally, further verses in the Quran elaborate on the origins of the pilgrimage in Islam, with Abraham cited as the founder of this commandment – not the Prophet Muhammad: “Say, ‘Allah has told the truth. So follow the religion of Abraham, inclining toward truth; and he was not of the polytheists.’ Indeed, the first House [of worship] established for mankind was that at Mecca – blessed and a guidance for the worlds. In it are clear signs [such as] the standing place of Abraham. And whoever enters it shall be safe. And [due] to Allah from the people is a pilgrimage to the House – for whoever is able to find thereto a way. But whoever disbelieves – then indeed, Allah is free from need of the worlds.” (Surah Al-E-Imran 3:95-98).

Muslims are required to perform the Hajj to Mecca at least once in their lives. Pilgrims wear white garments because the purpose of the Hajj is to purify oneself from sin. Over four days, they perform several religious rituals. One of these rituals is the “Tawaf,” the sevenfold circumambulation of the Kaaba, performed twice: first upon arriving in Mecca and again near the end of Hajj. Following the rituals at Kaaba, Muslims pray on Mount Arafat, where, according to Muslim tradition, Muhammad delivered a farewell sermon to his followers near the end of his life. On this mountain, millions of worshippers seek forgiveness for their sins and pray for health, strength, and mercy. After the prayers, they descend the mountain and collect stones to perform the symbolic stoning of the devil. Finally, worshippers sacrifice an animal, typically a sheep or a goat, for consumption or donation to the poor.

The path along the Hajj route in Mecca where approximately 2,000 people died in 2015
photo: Aiman titi

Pilgrims Risk Their Lives and Die

Saudi authorities must perform extremely challenging tasks during the Hajj pilgrimage. Every year, the police and security forces encounter numerous challenges in managing the Hajj, the world’s largest gathering, as approximately two million people flock to the small city of Mecca for several days. These challenges span from sanitation, transportation, and traffic issues to meeting the daily needs of the pilgrims. Additionally, there’s the crucial responsibility of safeguarding the sacred sites, which pilgrims strive to approach as closely as possible for blessings in accordance with Islamic tradition.

The experienced Saudis have invested heavily in various solutions during recent years to ease the burden on both pilgrims and security forces. They have built multiple levels for circumambulating the Kaaba, expanded bridges and roads leading to Mecca, constructed luxurious hotels, upgraded transportation services, and employed advanced technology systems to monitor the mass of pilgrims. Despite these efforts, many accidents still occur. Each year, hundreds of pilgrims lose their lives due to overcrowding, extreme heat, dehydration, and other infectious diseases that spread easily among the dense crowds.

In recent years, a wave of disasters has struck the pilgrims, including fires and building collapses, resulting in mass casualties. In 1987, around ten thousand worshippers were affected by a respiratory virus. In 1990, more than 1,400 pilgrims died due to overcrowding following a ventilation system failure. In 1997, a fire near the pilgrims’ tents caused over 340 deaths. In 2015, more than 750 worshippers died due to overcrowding. This year (2024), over 1,300 pilgrims died due to extreme heat, making it one of the deadliest years in recent times, with several other disasters occurring in recent years as well.

A pilgrim from Abu Ghosh (Israel), in her seventies, recounted: “The treatment of pilgrims is unbearable. When we got off the plane, police led us to a closed waiting area. They treated us like animals. The police used batons to hurry us and pushed us into the area, where we sat on a concrete floor. Those without food and water couldn’t survive. Crowds gathered in groups by their place of origin. When they heard I was from Israel, they shunned me as if I were Jewish, not one of their own.”

Iranian Terrorism Does Not Spare Saudi Arabia

Many experts around the world claim that the Al-Qaeda organization was born as a result of the siege on Mecca during an attempted coup in Saudi Arabia in 1979. This event is undoubtedly one of the most embarrassing and traumatic occurrences for Saudi Arabia, which the Saudis still struggle to forget today. They do not officially acknowledge it and hence may not reveal accurate information about it. The takeover of the Kaaba and the subsequent siege lasted about three weeks, and the primary aim of this action was undoubtedly to overthrow King Khalid bin Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman.

The event began a few weeks after the end of the 1979 Hajj (the year 1400 in the Islamic calendar). During the morning prayer on November 20, 1979, a group of around 200 radical Salafi activists from Saudi Arabia managed to infiltrate the holy compound, smuggle weapons inside, and take control of the Kaaba and the surrounding Grand Mosque, the holiest site in Islam. They barricaded themselves and took hundreds of hostages. The group’s leader was Juhayman al-Otaybi, a former member of the Saudi National Guard, accompanied by his brother-in-law Mohammed al-Qahtani, who claimed to be the Mahdi (the Muslim messiah). The rebels commandeered the loudspeakers, demanding the worshippers return to the true ways of Islam, abolish the monarchy, establish an Islamic caliphate, sever ties with the US and Western countries, stop Western influence within Saudi Arabia, ban television, and expel non-Muslims. They also declared over the loudspeakers that the royal family had lost its legitimacy due to corruption.

This event shocked the Muslim world and occurred only a few months after the revolution in Iran. There was popular speculation that the new regime in Iran, led by Khomeini, was behind it. Images of gunfire directed at the Grand Mosque and the sacred compound shocked both the Arab and Muslim worlds, the first time in modern history that the Muslim holy sites faced the threat of terrorism and hostage-taking. The situation spiraled out of control, and the authorities could not suppress the rebellion despite the firepower directed at the rebels.

A few days after the takeover, additional riots erupted across Saudi Arabia by Shiite minorities, who began to rise against the state. It appeared that the kingdom was on the brink of a military coup that would overthrow the king and the House of Saud. The Saudi government and the ruling family were helpless, panicked, and in complete shock.

Saudi soldiers equipped with French gear during the attempted coup in 1979

The Alleged French Connection

The inexperienced Saudi security forces struggled to control the situation, prompting senior officers to seek external assistance. A formal request was made to the French government for security personnel. Three French military officers, along with critical military equipment including weapons and gas, were dispatched to Saudi Arabia. The French involvement was highly secretive, and censorship still surrounds it today for two reasons: the absolute prohibition of non-Muslims entering the holy site, and the embarrassment over Saudi Arabia’s inability to handle the event independently despite being responsible for the protection of the sacred sites.

After about two and a half weeks after the start of the incident, the officers, who were professional snipers, devised an assault plan against the entrenched rebels. They used gas and explosive fire in the underground rooms where the rebels were hiding, forcing them to flee to open areas above ground, where they were killed during exchanges of fire with Saudi soldiers who cleared the mosque. Others were shot by Saudi snipers. Sixteen days after the incident began, the last surviving rebels within the sacred compound surrendered following a difficult battle. All captured rebel leaders were sentenced to life imprisonment or executed by beheading about two months after the event.

It should be noted that to this day, Saudi authorities maintain complete secrecy regarding the incident, the assault, and France’s involvement. An Al Jazeera journalist interviewed the officers who participated in the operation a few years ago and revealed secret documents related to the events from the first day of the siege until the release using special gas brought from France.

The Messianic Vision: Which Messiah Will Arrive First?

After the death of Prophet Muhammad, a disagreement among his family and his close companions regarding his successors led to a split in Islam and the birth of Shia and Sunni Islam. Throughout history, a series of wars and mutual massacres between Sunnis and Shiites have occurred. This text doesn’t detail them all but emphasizes the deep-seated hostility and mistrust stemming from theological differences and ancient religious conflicts.

Iran, considered the spiritual mother of Shiites worldwide, has been waging a covert war against Saudi Arabia, the spiritual mother of Sunnis and the guardian of the holy sites, for decades. Shiites do not recognize Sunnis as proper Muslims and vice versa. Each side claims to represent the true Islam, while labeling the other as heretical frauds. This extends to the pilgrimage as well, with Iran attempting in various ways to undermine Saudi Arabia’s status as guardian and host.

Starting in 1981, Iranians began holding political demonstrations in Mecca during the Hajj, protesting against the U.S. and Israel, much to the kingdom’s displeasure. These events typically ended without casualties or riots until July 1987, when severe clashes occurred between Iranian worshippers and Saudi police. The conflict, exacerbated by the intense heat, resulted in around 400 deaths – half of them Iranian worshippers, with the rest being Saudi police and visitors.

Following this incident, diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia were severed until they were renewed in 1991. In response, Saudi Arabia reduced the number of visas issued to Iranians from 150,000 to 45,000.

The next major incident occurred in 2015, with at least 2,000 deaths during riots in Mina, near Mecca, due to overcrowding and stampedes. Iranian pilgrims were also involved in these riots. The Iranian government pointed its finger at the Saudi government. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, stated that the Saudi government must take responsibility for the disaster: “The Saudi government must accept responsibility for the tragic incident. Mismanagement and inappropriate actions caused the disaster.”

The roots and sources of the Sunni-Shia conflict and mutual distrust stem from the Shia’s religious and messianic beliefs. Shia scriptures and speeches by Iranian leaders reflect an ideological perspective on the end-times. According to Shia belief, their hidden messiah, the Mahdi, is destined to appear in Mecca. Upon his arrival, he is expected to destroy the Saudi royal family, liberate Mecca from Saudi Wahhabi rule, and demolish the holy sites, except for the Kaaba, which will come under Shia protection. Millions of Shia Muslims hold this belief, convinced that a Shia victory over the Sunnis is imminent.

In Shia spiritual belief, the Mahdi is anticipated to emerge and rectify historical injustices. The Islamic world will then be led by the descendants of Ali ibn Abi Talib, the Shia’s spiritual forefather, rather than the current Sunni leaders. They also believe that safeguarding the holy sites will become their sole responsibility. This apocalyptic messianic vision is not only a belief among Shia followers but also the official ideology of the Iranian regime, headed by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Both the regime and its adherents strive to implement this ideology.
Aware of Iranian thinking, the Saudi regime is wary of Iranian pilgrims. Tensions between Sunnis and Shias peak during the Hajj, with the Saudis being highly vigilant, fearing that Iranian worshippers might take actions to hasten the Mahdi’s arrival, potentially disrupting the orderly conduct of the pilgrimage, as has happened in the past.

The Saudis Blame the Victims

The Saudi authorities are strict about preventing any gatherings or the display of the “Palestinian” flag, even amid the war in Gaza. The imam’s sermon during Eid al-Adha barely mentioned Gaza, sparking anger among many supporters of the Palestinian cause. Saudis are aware that the “Palestine” issue could incite unrest and serve Iranian interests.

This year, Eid al-Adha and the Hajj pilgrimage took place in mid-June 2024. In recent years, Saudis have reduced the number of pilgrimage visas issued, currently limiting it to 1,833,164 compared to the previous 2.1 million. Temperatures in Mecca reached an extreme 51 degrees Celsius. While there were no significant incidents involving Iranian activists, the last days of the Hajj focused on the hundreds of pilgrims who died from heat or dehydration, unable to receive medical treatment. Numerous videos and gruesome images circulated across the Arab world, showing bodies and elderly pilgrims dying on the ground without medical assistance. According to the Saudi version, which disclaimed any responsibility, over 1,100 pilgrims died, most of them without visas, predominantly from Egypt.

Saudi authorities justified the high number of casualties and the lack of medical care by blaming the victims. The main causes of death were extreme heat, dehydration, and the lack of life-saving medical treatment. Social media this year was flooded with images of dead pilgrims on the streets having not received medical assistance, leading to sharp criticism of the Saudi establishment. The Saudis pointed fingers at the victims or the transportation companies in their home countries, claiming they did not secure the necessary permits. Regardless, this year, as in previous years, the Hajj has become a tool for opponents within the Muslim world, particularly the Iranian Shia regime, to criticize the Saudi establishment.

The Kaaba and the Sacred Stone in Mecca
photo: Zull Must / shutterstock.com