Performance modifications for Meccan pilgrimage accommodation of contemporary crowds

Mecca

Millions of people make the pilgrimage to Mecca each year. An integral part of Islam, the Hajj is considered a sacred duty that every Muslim should perform at least once during his or her lifetime. Both men and women can make the pilgrimage to Mecca but some aspects of the Hajj are gender segregated. Because so many individuals attend, the throngs of Muslim pilgrims to Mecca have made the Hajj a potentially dangerous religious ritual. According to the BBC, well over two hundred people have been trampled to death during the Hajj because of the swarming influx of devotees ("Mecca Pilgrimage"). Changing the procedures that are used to welcome pilgrims would ensure fewer injuries and fatalities. Unfortunately, though, the Hajj takes place at a specific time of year in accordance with the Muslim lunar calendar and it would be nearly impossible to stagger entry throughout the year. Only the most liberal Muslims would accept a wholesale change to the religious tradition.

Pilgrims who perish at Mecca are commonly viewed as being martyrs for their faith. This pious view should be balanced by genuine humanitarian concerns: for the families of Hajj victims would most likely prefer their relatives to arrive home safely from the pilgrimage. Therefore, discouraging the blind acceptance of Hajj deaths would bolster support for increased security and safety at Mecca.