Nearly 3mn Muslims perform the Haj pilgrimage every year. The Haj, when Muslims from around the world come to Makkah to perform religious rites, is considered to be the largest gathering of people in the world.
Allah says in the Qur’an: “Fulfil the pilgrimage and make the visitation for Allah. If you are prevented, then whatever offering that may be easy” (Surat Al-Baqarah, 196). Haj is one of the five pillars of Islam.
It is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims, which must be carried out at least once in a lifetime by every adult Muslim who is physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey.
From the environmental point of view, there are many concerns and hazards associated with the pilgrimage and only by good governance of these environmental issues can the Haj be a win-win situation for everyone, i.e.,the host country (Saudi Arabia), the pilgrims, and the rest of the world where the pilgrims come from.
One of the biggest environmental issues associated with Haj is waste. During the Haj season, huge quantities of waste are generated, which needs to be managed well.
Besides, there is wasteful water usage and wastewater generation. Also, air pollution is another serious environmental problem caused by vehicles transporting the pilgrims.
In fact, most pilgrims are not aware of the importance of protecting the environment that is recognised in the Islamic teachings.
To achieve a green Haj and reduce the environmental footprint, the pilgrims need to behave in a more environment-friendly way. The environment is man’s legacy. He must care for it and refrain from causing any damage for the simple reason that he is its main beneficiary.
If he causes harm to one or more of the environment’s components, he will be the one who suffers. This is very clear during the Haj gathering.
Even slight pollution can cause serious negative impact to the environment and affect the health of the pilgrims.
Thus, Muslims must translate the great teachings of Islam, especially during the Haj, as they cannot perform a religious duty, i.e., Haj, and, at the same time, cause harm to the environment and others.
Environmental stewardship during Haj is a must for the correctness of the religious rites.
On the one hand, it is worth raising the environmental awareness of pilgrims to encourage them to make Haj more sustainable by observing the following tips, for example, during their journey:
Green purchasing, i.e., buying what is required and only environment-friendly products can be a good start. Cloth bags can be used for purchases.
Also, it is of utmost importance to rationalise water consumption by using water prudently for ablution, bath and other personal needs and minimise electricity usage.
It is very important to avoid littering as well as to collect all waste and dispose it at designated locations.
Use of public transportation as much as possible would also be an environment-friendly step.
The Saudi authorities such as the municipality of Makkah are already striving to make the Haj sustainable.
For instance, the municipality has introduced a number of measures for waste management to provide the best environment for the pilgrims.
These measures enable the storage of waste temporarily in the Haj areas, including in 48 hidden containers with 3,000 litre capacity. These hidden containers have several advantages. They do not require electrical or mechanical systems, and they prevent any fire erupting from the stored waste.
In addition, the ministry of municipal and rural affairs, which administers the projects, developed an integrated plan to operate the Sacred Areas Train in 2015.
The operation process of the train includes identifying pilgrim camp sites and trails and providing access to the stations in Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah.
By December 2016, pilgrims will be able to use the Haramainhigh speed railway for travel from Makkah to Madinah in Saudi Arabia.
The Makkah Metro is the first metro line in Saudi Arabia built to serve pilgrims. Construction of four more lines is scheduled to begin soon.
The Makkah Metro is critical for helping ease the heavy congestion during Haj as it can handle crowds of around 90,000 people per hour.
Using public transportation, including trains, will help in reducing air pollution and traffic congestion.
In fact, the protection, conservation and sustainable development of the environment and natural resources should be a religious duty to which every Muslim is committed.
The Haj can represent a unique and pioneering example of sustainability if the pilgrims behave in an environment-friendly manner and avoid pollution and overconsumption.

*Mohamed Abdel Raouf is the sustainability research programme manager at the Gulf Research Center.