Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and is obligatory for those who are financially and physically capable of performing it.

Millions of Muslims unite annually in Makkah for Hajj, the largest pilgrimage in the world, seeking God’s forgiveness and mercy.

While Hajj is an opportunity for Muslims to remember their creator and undergo a rigorous spiritual cleanse, it is also a chance to look back at Islam’s key values that shape one’s approach towards daily life.

Despite the inherently spiritual intention behind Hajj, having millions of people from all over the world in one place naturally means piles of waste end up being generated during the pilgrimage, from plastic bottles to tissues, overlooking a key element of Islam — hygiene and environmental preservation.

Numerous ahadith, or religious sayings, in Islam teach people the foundations of sustainability and environmental protection as part of mankind’s duty to look after – and be ‘stewards’ over the planet.

In one hadith, Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet Muhammad said, “While a man was walking along a path, he found a thorny branch of a tree on the way and removed it. Allah Almighty thanked him for that deed and forgave him.”

Another such prophetic saying which many Muslims are taught from a young age is: “Clearing harmful things from the road is charity.”

These phrases alone summarise the importance of keeping one’s surroundings clean and clear of harm and waste—particularly in a holy time and space for Muslims like the Hajj in Makkah.

Mark Bryant, Director at Islamic Foundation for Ecology & Environment Sciences (IFEES), told Doha News that historically, Hajj “had little or no impact on the environment’s ability to stay sustainable” in comparison to the modern world.

“I feel that it is easy (and understandable) for people to lose the ‘bigger picture’ when focusing on their obligations during Hajj. Modern hajj can represent a huge burden on the earth’s finite resources,” Bryant told Doha News.

He noted that “Islam can be described as intrinsically environmental.”

“Humans have been gifted by Allah this perfectly balanced world which has the potential to sustain us all comfortably, if the Sacred Balance is kept,” Bryant explained.

Government policies

While it takes more than just awareness campaigns and policies to achieve a greener Hajj, some top-down approaches are in the works to make the pilgrimage more sustainable.

Starting with the Saudi government, authorities in 2018 introduced a waste management system to better process and recycle the waste pilgrims leave behind. 

By 2019, authorities placed four coloured containers for organic waste, metals, paper and cardboard, and plastic. This helps the collection and division of waste into large containers that cut them up before moving them to a recycling machine.

“Governments dictate the management of activities around the Hajj incorporating environmentally responsible policies and procedures,” Bryant said.

Saudi Arabia launched a train line in 2010 carrying millions of Muslim worshippers to help them perform their pilgrimage. 

The Makkah Metro project succeeded at mitigating traffic congestion during the busy season, rather than relying on buses that could contribute to pollution. Instead, the metro is able to carry tens of thousands of passengers per hour.

For at least a decade, the Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah Metro Line, part of the Makkah project, became widely used to transport groups of pilgrims between Makkah, Arafat, Muzdalifa and Mina.

Bottom-down approaches

A number of non-governmental entities have also taken on the responsibility of preserving the environment during the season of worship.

Among the most notable entities is EcoMENA, an online information powerhouse, which was established in 2012 to raise environmental awareness in the region. 

As part of its online knowledge bank, it offered a publicly available guide for worshippers to better understand the need to protect the environment during Hajj. 

“Environment is Allah’s creation and has to be respected. Let us make our contribution to the eco-friendly Hajj and make a profound impact on the ecosystem,” the guide says.

Other non-governmental entities have joined efforts in promoting a greener Hajj, most notably “The Green Guide for Hajj”, which was launched in 2021 under a partnership with Ummah for Earth Alliance and Global One.

The online guide is the vision of Global One’s CEO Dr. Husna Ahmad, among the many campaigners who had advocated for a sustainable Hajj. The guide provides recommendations for individuals and governments on reducing their footprints during the pilgrimage.

According to the guide’s website, more than 42,000 tonnes of waste are produced during Hajj.

“It is important that people are encouraged to remember that the Hajj does not absolve us from our responsibility to behave like good Muslims. Rather, it is a time for us to showcase the best we can do,” Bryant said.

‘Reduce, reduce, reduce’

Bryant noted that while there is a long way to go, individuals can take initiative in order to gradually achieve a “green Hajj”, fulfilling their duties as the “khalifa of the environment”.

When asked on ways one can fulfil their responsibilities towards the environment, Bryant said: “Reduce, reduce, reduce.” 

 “When environmentalists talk about Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, Reduce is by far the most important. It is the easiest, most impactful, and effective of the three. It is easier to reduce the damage we do than to fix it once it is done,” he said.

With individuals bearing the responsibility of their surroundings, from a personal and religious perspective, Bryant said they can follow the example of Prophet Muhammad by eating a reduced diet while using reusable water bottles instead of disposable ones.

Out of the many examples of sustainability in Islam, Bryant used the concept of “Mizan”, translating to “balance”. The word has been repeated in the holy Quran, placing great emphasis on having “a dynamic balance”.

Such balance, Bryant explained, can be applied to fulfilling one’s religious and environmental duties.

“The sustainability of our environment is reliant on this balance, and it is increasingly evident how disastrously human activity can threaten this balance.

We need to work to keep the Sacred Balance, and efforts such as a “Green Hajj” are the best example we can send to the Ummah on the importance of our role in keeping our world in Mizan,” he said.