Three Friends Head To Mecca For Hajj On Horseback From Spain

Three Spanish friends are riding horses to Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj, an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca.

Their journey began with a vow made by one of the pilgrims after embracing Islam. Abdallah Hernandez, Abdelkader Harkassi, and Tariq Rodriguez arrived in Istanbul on February 25 after spending the last three and a half months travelling from Spain on horseback.

They will continue their journey to complete the Hajj pilgrimage while reviving a 500-year-old Andalusian Muslim tradition, reports Anadolu Agency.

They aim to reach Saudi Arabia via Syria after travelling through Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Türkiye on their 8,000-kilometre (4,970 miles) journey.

Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University hosted the event, where the pilgrims had meetings with the university's supporters and students.

Speaking at the event, Prof Huseyin Husnu Koyunoglu from the university’s Faculty of Islamic Sciences emphasised that Istanbul has been a significant stop for Hajj pilgrims for centuries.

Hernandez said he first learnt about Islam at age 24. While working in geography, he studied the Bible and the Quran, finding the verses particularly striking.

He mentioned that before taking a geography exam, he promised himself that if he passed, he would become a Muslim.

After passing the exam, Hernandez converted to Islam and vowed to do the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca on horseback, just like his ancestors.

Hernandez explained that in fulfilling his dream, Harkassi and Rodriguez are accompanying him on horseback, while Bouchaib Jadil, a construction master living in Spain, is providing logistical support to the team by leading the way in a car.