breaking Haj on many fronts. Extraordinary turnout of pilgrims, major multibillion-riyal developments – including the Mashair Train and Al-Jamarat Bridge. The organization, in terms of health, security, accommodation and transport, has been outstanding. Massive future developments are also under way, which will see Makkah transformed into one of the most advanced cities in the world, as outlined by Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah, this week. It will see pilgrims perform their rituals with much ease and comfort. There are some negatives, of course, including the many illegal pilgrims, the sometimes crass commercialism, and then the piles of waste at the holy sites which should cause Muslims to pause and reflect on their behavior. But beyond all the facts and figures and the gripes and complaints, Haj is an extraordinary spiritual experience for all those seeking it. In its requirement to don the Ihram, two pieces of unstitched and unadorned clothing, there is the ultimate lesson of humility, of being neither superior nor inferior to any other person on earth. When Muslims gather on the plain of Arafat, praying to Allah Almighty for forgiveness and mercy, there must be the realization that they are nothing of themselves, without the aid and support of the Creator and Designer of the Universe. There are so many other important lessons – in the circumambulation of the Ka'ba (Tawaf) and the hastening between Safa and Marwa hillocks (Sai'). But surely one of the most important lessons for Muslims living in this century, is the need for unity, across geographic, ethnic, language and racial lines. No wonder then that King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, urged Muslims to not forget, or lose the lessons they learn from Haj. As the pilgrims get ready to return home, it is an absolute necessity that Hajis use the pilgrimage as an experience they can apply to solve the day-to
