French Student Bikes for Hajj

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The French student will bike for Saudi Arabia to join three million Muslims from all around the globe in performing hajj CAIRO — A French Muslim student is setting off a criss-cross journey on his bicycle to join three million Muslims from all around the globe in performing hajj, reported the Nottingham Evening Post on Saturday, October 27. Salim Moumou Eljeddahoui is cycling more than 3,000 miles through different countries to arrive in the holy city of Makkah. The 25-year-old, who moved to the town of Nottingham this year to learn English, is following in the footsteps of his grandfather who walked from France to Makkah for the ritual. "It took him six months during which the conditions for eating and sleeping were very difficult," said Eljeddahoui. "I want to experience similar conditions and the same difficulties." Salim will cycle through France, Belgium, Switzerland and Italy before sailing to Turkey. He will resume his bike journey through Syria and Jordan before arriving in Saudi Arabia on December 18 for hajj. One of the five pillars of Islam, hajj consists of several ceremonies, which are meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham and his family. Every able-bodied adult Muslim -- who can financially afford the trip -- must perform hajj once in their lifetime. Bold Eljeddahoui's friends were caught with surprise about knowing his plans. "At first they thought it was strange, but now they are very happy for me," he said. The young Muslim student has been planning for the trip for a whole year. He is taking a tent with him to sleep in during the journey. Many mosques in Nottingham are supporting Eljeddahoui's bike journey. "It is a good example for young people to see someone being so courageous and entrepreneurial," said Dr Musharraf Hussain of the Karimia Institute. "I have been advising him to take the right precautions so that he is always near a hostel, mosque or hotel at night and doesn't have to sleep rough. "Hopefully this will encourage other people to be as bold." Last year, a 63-year-old Chechen criss-crossed 13 countries on his rusting bicycle to join the faithful in hajj.

Source: Islamonline.net