The Impact of Climate Change on the Hajj and Islam
By Giorgia Piantanida
In the Middle East and North Africa, where the climate is warming at alarming rates, communities and time-honored cultural practices are being put at immense risk. The planet is increasingly warming which is continuously increasing threats to environments and communities across the globe. One particular practice that is facing a dangerous path is the hajj, a yearly pilgrimage for Muslims.
Hajj is an annual pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, a venture which every adult Muslim must undertake at least once in their lives. It takes place during the last month in the Islamic calendar and is one of the five tenants of Islam. Every year, about 2 million people undertake the hajj, an experience that also works to bring Muslims together from all over the world.
Hajj usually takes place towards the end of June or early July–since the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar calendar, the exact dates of the pilgrimage change slightly every year. In Saudi Arabia, June and July are the hottest months on the calendar, with temperatures usually reaching 39℃, but sometimes going as high as 49℃. This extreme heat is unsustainable without effective cooling methods and is only worsening as climate change continues to be exacerbated.
As grave climate change continues to ramp up, higher temperatures and heat waves are making hajj increasingly dangerous, especially for vulnerable populations. This is particularly true because higher temperatures and humidity make it difficult for the body to sweat, which is the most efficient cooling system our bodies have. This is particularly concerning as in accordance with the Islamic calendar, the hajj will soon fall between August and October, the hottest months in Mecca.
In 2015, the Islamic Declaration on Global Climate Change was signed, but it has not prevented Muslim-majority countries from continuing to ramp up their fossil fuel extractions. While the global community must act in unison to prevent the worsening impacts of climate change, it is also imperative for Muslim-majority countries to take a firm stance. The importance of the hajj cannot be overstated, and it is already becoming a highly dangerous activity for those who participate. Saudi Arabia is expected to heat as much as 4 degrees by 2070, which would make the hottest months of the year unbearable for those making the pilgrimage. This path must be averted.
The ties between Islam and climate change are many, and some Muslim leaders argue that caring for the environment and preventing climate change is a key tenant of being Muslim. There are some who cite working against climate change as a jihad, inspiring believers to protect and defend their planet. This work, however, is difficult, and individual action cannot be the sole approach we rely on. Countries in the Middle East and North African region are often dependent on fossil fuel extraction and burning in order to make a profit, leaving their people to suffer extreme temperatures. This is already impacting important activities and spaces, and will only continue to do so, making the current course of our planet an increasingly unsustainable one. Impacting hajj will directly transform the lives of believers, who may be prevented from engaging in their religion fully because the heat is insurmountable.
It is no secret that climate change in the region is threatening the stability and livability of the area, but its impacts are much more intricate and complex than may meet the eye. In regards to hajj, we are already beginning to see the first impacts of climate change, as temperatures skyrocket. The combination of hajj falling in the hottest summer months and climate change will only continue to exacerbate the problem, and believers will be forced to deal with the consequences.