The Muslim Pilgrimage and European Countries during the Nineteenth Century

The Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam- a religious duty that must be performed at least once in the lifetime by all able-bodied Muslims who can afford to do so. Pilgrims must perform a series of rituals simultaneously in a fixed procedure, during a fixed period- from the eighth to the tenth day of the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar. Therefore, the Hajj has developed a religious identity in each Muslim who has performed the rituals. Previous studies on this topic have focused on the relationship between Muslim countries and Hajj. However, only a few studies have discussed its significance in world history. In modern history, not only Muslim countries but also European countries have implemented Hajj-related policies. This article examines the Hajj policy of European countries during the nineteenth century and reveals the role that Hajj played in world history. With the advent of European colonization across the world, devising a policy for the Muslim pilgrimage emerged as an urgent issue. European countries implemented many policies for pilgrims, such as a health policy through quarantines and transport to Mecca by steamships. However, They tried to exclude “dangerous” thoughts such as wahhabism, which the pilgrims brought into the colonies from Mecca. In conclusion, the Hajj policy by European countries was a part of their colonial policy; through these policies the European countries attempted to include the Muslim community into the new world order that they had constructed