"The Hajj is over. 2.5 million Muslims who came together in Mecca from all over the world have returned to their homes. It is easy to write "2.5 million" but it is an unbelievable crowd for those who experienced it. Only they can imagine the transportation of these 2.5 million people from one place to another.
The Hajj has two aspects. Its individual one helps people to make connection with God, to be purified, to settle down, to become clean. Its social aspect means recognizing other Muslims, having conversations with them and holding an annual meeting. The Hajj should be a platform for Muslims talk about their problems and search for opportunities to act in common, but that level of interaction can not be provided. The main reason is the lack of a common language. Although English and Arabic are spoken, since they are not known in all levels sufficient communication is not provided. The second most important reason is the cultural and social differences. The Turkish Muslims' concept of world and civilization is much different to that of Afghan or African Muslims. Likewise, Muslims from Malaysia and Indonesia look at issues from a different perspective than Nigerians.
We see from an intellectual level that the Muslim world has been extremely politicized. This politicization is so dominant that it prevents us talking about other problems and finding solutions for them. When we speak of Islam, the first issues, which come to mind, are Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan. Since these are so dominant, it seems it makes little sense to talk about other issues."
ZAMAN DAILY NEWSPAPER (2005020216200)
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