In brief
In an extraordinary revival of tradition, three pilgrims embarked on a seven-month journey from Spain to Mecca, riding horses and broadcasting their experiences. Their adventures, fraught with challenges and captured live on social media, blended faith with modern connectivity.
In a remarkable feat combining age-old traditions with modern technology, three pilgrims recently made a seven-month journey on horseback from Spain to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage. More than 1.5 million people traveled to this year’s Hajj, but only these three opted for the arduous ride reminiscent of Andalusian Muslims from centuries past, sharing their experiences with a global audience via social media.Abdelkader Harkassi Aidi, one of the riders, recounted some of the harrowing moments they faced on their journey. In Bosnia, they lost valuable time searching for their horses, which broke free and wandered into a minefield due to unexpected fear. Not to mention the challenges they encountered in France, where the horses panicked in a muddy tunnel, and one horse almost drowned until a quick-thinking pilgrim jumped in to help save it. “We were really scared. We didn’t know what to do. There were too many horses jumping,” Aidi admitted, reflecting on the chaotic moment.This project, dubbed "Hajj on Horseback," was no small undertaking; it took four years of planning and traversed nearly 4,000 miles through a dozen countries, often navigating treacherous environments. Their journey tested not only their physical endurance but also their faith in God and humanity, as well as the power of the internet to connect them with followers.With their unique approach, the pilgrims attracted a significant online following, amassing over 345,000 followers on Instagram and 250,000 on TikTok. Their real-time updates showcased moments of respite, cooking, caring for their horses, and engaging with locals, some of which received hundreds of thousands of views. This blend of digital storytelling and traditional pilgrimage has breathed new life into an ancient tradition, captivating a modern audience and reinforcing the enduring power of faith and community.
