Nuri Aydin and Fatma Zehra Solmaz
25 February 2025•Update: 25 February 2025
ISTANBUL
Three friends from Spain are traveling to Saudi Arabia on horseback for their Hajj, an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. Their expedition, which is a sacred journey for Muslims, began with a vow made by one of the pilgrims after embracing Islam.
Traveling on horseback from Spain for the past 3.5 months, Abdallah Hernandez, Abdelkader Harkassi, and Tariq Rodriguez have reached Istanbul and will continue their journey to complete the Hajj pilgrimage, while reviving a 500-year-old Andalusian Muslim tradition.
The group aims to reach Saudi Arabia via Syria after traveling through Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Türkiye on their 8,000-kilometer (4,970 miles) journey.
Hosted by Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University, the pilgrims met with students and supporters at the university as part of an event organized by the institution.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Huseyin Husnu Koyunoglu from the university’s Faculty of Islamic Sciences emphasized that Istanbul has been a significant stop for Hajj pilgrims for centuries.
Hernandez said he first learned 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.
A Lost Tradition is Being Revived
One of the Hajj pilgrims, Harkassi, said they were happy to revive a lost tradition.
He explained that they have saved money and trained for several years for this journey.
Despite the challenges, Harkassi emphasized that the journey was also full of adventure. "We have had funny moments and adventures. We saw that Allah was with us. We embarked on this journey with pure intentions to realize the Hajj."
He added: "We have now become a part of this. We are currently halfway there, and hopefully, the rest of the journey will be easier."
The team said they wanted to spend the month of Ramadan in Istanbul and expressed a desire to visit important religious and historical sites, such as the Sultanahmet Mosque and the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque.
