Is Saudi Arabia up to the task of protecting the 'House of God'?
With construction issues at the Grand Mosque and the threat of Islamist militants, the hajj presents a unique challenge to Saudi organizers every year.
The collapse of a construction crane that killed 107 pilgrims and injured many others at Mecca’s Grand Mosque on Sept. 11 has led some to raise questions about the safety of the estimated 2 million pilgrims who will descend on Islam’s holiest site in less than two weeks to begin the annual rite of hajj.
However, the Saudi leadership — including King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud himself — has made it very clear that it considers the custodianship of the two holy mosques in Mecca and Medina to be among its most important responsibilities.
The Saudi government has not only expended billions of dollars in expanding the Grand Mosque to accommodate the ever-increasing number of pilgrims, it has also implemented many measures to ensure that the risk of past tragedies like stampedes and fires, which have resulted in significant loss of life, is greatly reduced. Just as important, the Saudis have drastically increased the presence of security personnel to guard against a serious potential security risk: the so-called Islamic State (IS), which has made it clear that it has no compunction about targeting Muslims in their homes, hospitals, schools and even mosques.
Keeping hundreds of thousands of pilgrims safe and securing the Grand Mosque and its surrounding environs are daunting challenges, but the Saudi government should be given high marks for its continuing efforts to make the hajj as safe and as secure as possible. If the response to the terrible crane accident of last week is any indication, Saudi Arabia may indeed be entering a new age of greater transparency and accountability as it relates to the hajj.
