Mecca, Saudi Arabia: For a moment, Hisham Mostafa, did not remember about what was going on in the form of war in Syria and did not even have any kind attention towards his financial worries when he had a glance towards Islam’s holiest sites for the first time. He was one among hundreds of thousands clad in white simple unsewn clothes in Mecca ahead of the pilgrimage of Hajj.

“This is the first time I see the Grand Mosque and the Kaaba. It is the best feeling of my life to be able to perform the haj,” said Mostafa, 50, as he looked at the cube-shaped structure towards which Muslims turn in prayer five times a day.

He is an accountant by profession and travelled to Saudi Arabia from Turkey for the pilgrimage. Back in Turkey, Mostafa had lived there for five years since he fled Aleppo in Syria. “War destroys everything … Life in Turkey is hard and I barely earn enough”, he says.

But this time he found an opportunity to join 2 million Muslims which includes 1.68 million from abroad who flooded roads and streets of Mecca to perform the annual rite going to start on Sunday.

Another one from Yeman, Nayef Ahmed expressed his feelings of how he had to sacrifice his land back in Yemen to perform the duty of haj. Yemen too is going through tough period due to the three year old proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

“Because of the war the prices are very high. But being here I feel comfort and peace and I pray to God for the war to end.”

Saudi Arabia regards itself to be the guardian of the two Islam’s holiest sites in the world and organizes a peaceful haj.

The security measures put in place by the interior ministry to confront any militant attacks to political protests are stringent of its kind, but till now, according to the officials, no such specific threats have been detected.

“We will prevent any actions that are not part of the haj ritual and any act that may impact the safety of pilgrims or their ability to perform the rite,” Interior Ministry spokesman Mansour Turki told Reuters.

Islam enjoins every able-bodied Muslim irrespective of their gender, to perform the haj at least once in their lifetime with the condition that they have the means to do so.

“I came for umrah (minor pilgrimage) in 2007 and today after 10 years of registering and waiting, I am here,” said Najwa, 59, from Tunisia. “I cannot describe the feeling. I cry every day.”

The method of performing haj takes its credibility from the tradition of Prophet Mohammed (SAW) 14 centuries ago. Now, the Saudi Government has utilized technology to oversee and manage the flow of millions during the process.

The technological steps taken also includes electronic identification bracelets which are in connection to GPS. They were introduced in the year 2015.

“There is a comprehensive electronic agenda for every pilgrim and we have provided many apps that offer guidance,” Minister of Haj and Umrah Mohammed Bintin told Reuters.

“We have a fleet of more than 18,000 buses, all of them linked to a control system that tracks their path.”

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