“As long as my daughter cannot walk, I will walk in her place toward the House of God,” this phrase said by Rizkar Mahmoud Hassan encapsulated his determination to visit the sacred house (Kaba) in Mecca on foot to pray for his five-year-old daughter to recover from her illness.
Hassan, a Syrian citizen from Qamishli currently residing in Damascus, told Enab Baladi that his decision came to fulfill a vow for his daughter who has been afflicted with a disease that rendered her unable to walk.
“I realize the difficulty of the matter, but I will endure all hardships, hoping from God for my daughter’s recovery,” says Hassan.
The treatment journey for the girl has lasted nearly four years, and despite receiving several treatments from medical staff outside Syria, her condition has not improved, prompting him to head to the sacred House of God, hoping for his daughter’s return to walking and improvement in her health.
Hassan’s journey to Mecca is expected to take about two months, covering a distance of approximately 1,680 kilometers according to his estimates.
The first journey with simple equipment
Enab Baladi met with Hassan on April 25, at the Great Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, the place he set out from to Mecca. He mentioned that he would embark on his journey using modest equipment, carrying only a tent for sleeping and some personal essentials like food and clothing.
This will be Hassan’s first journey in his life, despite not having engaged in any sports activities previously that would qualify him for covering long distances.
He clarified that he received support from the Ministry of Interior in Syria to ease his passage through the Jordanian and Saudi borders, which are the two countries he will pass through on his way to Mecca.
He added that he could have traveled by flight from Damascus to Saudi Arabia like other pilgrims, but he preferred to walk, drawing strength from the support he received from his family and his commitment to his daughter and hope for her recovery.
Rizkar Mahmoud Hassan with his wife and daughter at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus – April 25, 2025 (Enab Baladi/Anas al-Khouli)
Syrian man embarks on journey to Mecca on foot Enab Baladi.
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