The final flight transporting Russian pilgrims participating in the 2025 "Hajj Karim" charity program safely landed in the Russian capital the day before. All 5,000 of our compatriots have returned home safely after performing the Hajj rituals, which represent one of the pillars of Islam.

Under the "Hajj Karim" program initiated by Senator Suleyman Kerimov and implemented by the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation (RBM) with the blessing of Chairman and Grand Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin, 5,000 Russian Muslims embarked on the great pilgrimage. The majority were participants and veterans of the Special Military Operation, their family members, relatives of fallen soldiers, and volunteers actively supporting defenders on the frontlines.

Pilgrims were divided into 100 groups of 50 people each, primarily formed along regional lines. Each group was assigned an experienced leader, typically an imam or chairman of a local or centralized religious organization within RBM's structure. Following the program, heads of regional and local Muslim communities sent numerous letters of gratitude to RBM addressed to Grand Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin.

According to pilgrims' feedback, in addition to prayers for themselves and their families, they all prayed for peace, victory and prosperity of our Motherland, for the health of all soldiers in the Special Military Operation, and for the souls of those fallen in battle, including during the Great Patriotic War.

The pilgrim groups were accompanied by 50 doctors who, while performing Hajj rituals themselves, provided first aid and psychological support to fellow believers. Recognizing the professionalism of Russian medics, pilgrims from other countries also sought their assistance.

By Allah's mercy, there were no serious incidents. Most medical consultations involved blisters, heat strokes and colds. When initial medical assessment indicated need for further diagnosis or treatment, pilgrims were hospitalized for necessary tests and IV therapy before being discharged. There were about 20 such cases total, plus 2 cases of closed fractures resulting from pilgrims' own carelessness. Overall, there were no serious incidents or crowd-related accidents, and the Hajj was organized at a high level.

Through RBM's Department of Culture, pilgrims participated in various excursions to historic sites in Mecca and Medina before and after Hajj. In Medina, the most cherished site was Rawdah - the area in the Prophet's Mosque that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) called one of earth's finest places - a Garden of Paradise. Fellow believers also visited Quba Mosque - the first mosque in Islamic history (where prayer is considered equal to Umrah according to hadiths), Mount Uhud site of the famous battle, Masjid al-Qiblatayn where the final Messenger (peace be upon him) received revelation to change the qibla from Jerusalem to Mecca, and the Museum of Islam and Quran. Russian Muslims also visited date palm groves where they walked, sampled and purchased various date varieties.

In Mecca, our fellow believers visited the Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) house (now a library), climbed Mount Nur with Hira Cave where Allah's Messenger received the first revelation. Some pilgrims who arrived earlier made day trips to Jeddah on the Red Sea coast and Taif city located 150 km from Mecca.

After completing all Hajj rites, pilgrim groups began returning home via two types of flights: direct and connecting. Due to escalating Middle East tensions and airspace closures, 200 pilgrims were stranded in transit: 50 spent 3 days in Amman (Jordan) and 150 spent 4 days in Sharjah (UAE). RBM's official Hajj operator "Muslim Tour" worked with airlines to promptly resolve the situation, providing free accommodation in 5-star hotels with three daily meals, medications and all necessities. RBM also immediately notified Russian embassies in these countries. Though Sharjah pilgrims waited one day longer than those in Amman, they had more interesting time thanks to visa-free access allowing city exploration, sea swimming, which they described as "additional blessing from Allah to rest in beautiful Sharjah."

Despite all challenges, all Russian pilgrims have returned home safely.

Organizing Committee
All-Russian Charity Program "Hajj Karim - 2025"