British pilgrim completes 6,500km walk from the UK to Saudi Arabia for Hajj
The 52-year-old pilgrim walked through the Netherlands, Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan to reach Saudi Arabia, covering a distance of almost 6,500 kilometers in 11 months and 26 days.
He walked an average of 17.8 km a day and reached Ayesha Mosque in Makkah on June 26.
He walked across Europe to complete his journey.
A huge crowd of pilgrims, local residents, and his two daughters who had flown from the UK welcomed him in the holy city.
Mohammed said: “I was so happy to finish my journey and I am overwhelmed by the great welcome, generosity, and love of Saudis and other nationalities. I am so eager to perform Hajj because Hajj has been my greatest dream.”
He spoke about what he would do when standing on Mount Arafat.
“I will thank Allah for making this journey possible and for making my all-time goal come true to perform Hajj. This was not an easy journey for me but I had to sacrifice everything for the sake of Allah and humanity.
“I have been preoccupied with reading the Holy Qur’an ever since restrictions were imposed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Suddenly, I woke up one day and something inside me told me to go to Makkah all the way by foot from my home. I could not ignore this voice and decided to go for it.”
It took him just two months to prepare for the arduous journey with help from a British organization and donations from his fellow countrymen.
Mohammed, who is Iraqi-Kurdish, began his journey on Aug. 1, 2021, from his home in Wolverhampton.
He had a cart weighing up to 250 kilos for his personal belongings. “Actually, I built it myself. It is where I ate, slept, and cooked for the journey.”
He told Arab News that, except for weather and traveling, he did not face any other challenge on his way to Makkah.
“There were no big difficulties, except for a few stops by police authorities in several countries to inquire about my presence in their land. But they were surprised when they came to know about my unique journey.”
Many people came forward to help him during this journey, with some pushing his trolley and others offering him food and a place to rest.
He documented and live-streamed his experience through his channels on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, while also using his platform to spread messages of peace and equality.
Even with 2.8 million likes on TikTok, Mohammed said his journey was not for fame but religion.