Faith Plans partner Global One has dramatically updated its groundbreaking Green Guide for Hajj and Umrah, encouraging green thinking and sustainability for religious faithful undertaking one of the world's best known pilgrimages.
Hajj, of course, is the annual Islamic pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca, drawing in excess of 3 million participants a year. Whereas Umrah is a pilgrimage to Mecca that takes place outside of the specific dates of Hajj. Both are incredibly important in Islam, but the effect of having so many people travel to a single location can be environmentally detrimental.
To counter this, the Green Guide for Hajj and Umrah seeks to encourage Muslims to consider the impact of their pilgrimages. First created in 2011, the guide was dramatically updated for 2021 and incorporated into an app.
Developed by Dr. Husna Ahmad of Global One – a UK-based, female-led Muslim organisation focused on overcoming the challenges of global inequality – the guide offers both practical tips on how to participate in these pilgrimages more sustain
'Our time to act is passing with each day; we need to reflect on our role and start changing our habits to protect and preserve our world,' writes Dr. Husna Ahmad in the guide's introduction. 'I pray that this Guide... motivates and inspires our Ummah [Muslim community] to take action and not wait until it is too late.'
The first guide to an environmentally sustainable Hajj was launched in November 2011 as part of the Green Pilgrimage Network initiative. To access and download the latest edition, click here.