Anas Al Razqi, a 26-year-old Belgian Muslim, cycled thousands of kilometers over three months to reach Saudi Arabia and fulfill his lifelong dream of performing Hajj.
He set off at the start of Ramadan in March, pedaling through 13 countries including Austria, Germany, Italy, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. From Europe, he crossed into Turkey, then Jordan, and finally entered Saudi Arabia through the Halat Ammar border crossing.
The road was far from easy. He battled changing weather conditions throughout the trip, but admitted that loneliness was the hardest part of the journey. Yet his faith kept him moving forward every single day.
Along the way, the warmth and kindness of strangers played a huge role in keeping his spirits high. “They kept me going,” he told Saudi news portal Sabq, referring to the sincere prayers and warm smiles of people he met on his route.
Upon crossing into Saudi Arabia, Al Razqi told Saudi TV channel Al Ekhbariya: “This is a dream. I didn’t believe I would be in Mecca. I feel blessed to have arrived in the Kingdom.”
He added, “I felt I was approaching a dream I’ve cherished for years. Now, I just want to reach the closest point to the Kaaba and see it for the first time.”
His story is part of a growing movement of pilgrims taking long, unconventional routes to Hajj, a powerful sign of faith and devotion in the modern world.
