The Promise of Hajj

The 2025 version of the largest human gathering in the world, ended on Monday evening, June 9, 2025. Every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia at least once in their lives to perform this Pillar of the Islamic five: the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca. This year, 1.6 million people from elsewhere joined an unknown number of Saudis to demonstrate their faithfulness to Allah. While most Muslims pay thousands of dollars for a full Hajj package including travel and lodgings, the poorer ones secure a visitor or tourist visa and try to figure out where to stay once they arrive. If mosques are full, they may be turned away without shelter. When daytime temperatures soar to 117 degrees, some pilgrims die. Last year the death toll was about 1300.

But the heat does not deter the faithful. On the first day of Hajj after changing into the required 2-piece white towel-like garmet that removes all distinctions among worshipers, the men—joined by some women, descend on the holiest place in Islam. In Mecca’s Grand Mosque the massive crowd circles the Kaaba seven times. Covered with black silk inscribed with golden verses from the Qur’an, the Kaaba contains little besides the Black Stone, a meteorite Muslims believe the angel Gabriel gave to Abraham. Supposedly, the Kaaba was built by Adam and Abraham to replicate a heavenly temple. It is regarded as the first place of worship built after God created humanity.

Though exalted, Mecca is neither comfortable nor worldly. As the heat and the hills extract their toll on pilgrims during its five days, it is a forceful reminder of God’s coming judgment. Yet many people return home indicating it was the most spiritual experience of their lives. In it they sought forgiveness for sins, and refreshed their faith.

Please pray for these sincere, hopeful people. It is good to seek a refreshed faith, and good to seek to be forgiven. But the only trip made at signifcant expense that can offer anyone forgiveness, is the one Jesus took to earth to offer Himself as a blood sacrifice for our sins (Romans 3:23-25). May many discover that God has already made the pilgrimage for them.