Pilgrimage Camps Start Applying Green Hajj Criteria

Under the patronage of Mecca Emirate, pilgrimage camps started to apply the criteria of Green and Sustainable hajj for the year 1440 AH.

Green Hajj has a radical impact on the ecosystem to make the pilgrimage more sustainable, showing that Islam is an ideal platform for preserving the environment.

In his statements to SEE, Almutawif Zaki Kamal Mohammed Hussein said that Hajj is the largest gathering of people in the world where Muslims come from several countries to perform religious rites.

[caption id="attachment_70424" align="alignnone" width="720"] Almutawif Zaki Kamal Mohammed Hussein[/caption]

“Nearly three million Muslims perform Hajj every year,” he added. “Hajj can be sustainable if the pilgrims acted in an environmentally friendly manner, avoiding all contaminated behaviors.”

[caption id="attachment_70425" align="alignnone" width="720"] Almutawif Zaki Kamal Mohammed Hussein[/caption]

“The concerned Saudi authorities, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdul Aziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, are planning, spending money and providing facilities to suit the number of pilgrims,” Hussein said.

He added: “The necessary arrangements annually for the increasing number of pilgrims is a great logistical challenge to the government and the concerned authorities in charge of providing housing, transport, sanitation, food and health care for pilgrims.”

Hussein stressed that the concept of preserving the environment is inherent in Islam, saying “According to the Holy Quran, Allah entrusted humans with the preservation of land and the environment, but the irresponsible attitude of many people jeopardize the environmental resources.”

Towards a Green Hajj

The following aspects will help the pilgrims in making their Hajj greener and help in conservation of resources:

The recent Islamic declaration on climate change exhorts us to work steadfastly to minimize our ecological footprint and make inpidual pledges to help our planet. The environment is Allah’s creation and has to be respected. Let us make our contribution to the Green Hajj and make a profound impact on the ecosystem, making it more sustainable and manageable and show that Islam is the ideal platform for ecological and environmental preservation.