Frankly Speaking: Saudis feel let down by America, says Prince Turki Al-Faisal

01 Prince Turki al-Faisal’s on the Saudi position towards the Russian-Ukrainian conflict
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Updated 02 May 2022
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Frankly Speaking: Saudis feel let down by America, says Prince Turki Al-Faisal

  • Former Saudi intelligence chief and ambassador blames President Biden’s policies for US energy shortage, says Saudis want only mediator role in Russia-Ukraine conflict
  • He says Saudi-Turkish relationship “should be one of the best in terms of benefit for both countries,” be it in trade or cross-border investments
  • He says sanctions should be levied on Israel because of its record of invasions of Arab countries as “aggression is aggression”

JEDDAH: Saudis feel let down at a time when they believe the US and Saudi Arabia should be together facing threats to the stability and security of the Gulf region, Prince Turki Al-Faisal, Saudi Arabia’s former intelligence chief and former ambassador to both London and Washington D.C., told Arab News.

He identified the threats specifically as Iran’s influence in Yemen and its use of the Houthis as a tool “not only to destabilize Saudi Arabia, but also affect the security and stability of the international sea lanes” along the Red Sea, the Gulf and the Arabian Sea.

“The fact that President Biden delisted the Houthis from the terrorist list has emboldened them and made them even more aggressive in their attacks on Saudi Arabia, as well as on the UAE,” Prince Turki told Katie Jensen, the new host of Arab News’ “Frankly Speaking.” He was alluding to the Feb. 12, 2021, revocation by the new Democratic administration of the Iran-aligned militia’s designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

“Frankly Speaking” features interviews with leading policymakers and business leaders, diving deep into the biggest news-making headlines across the Middle East and around the world. During his appearance on the video show, Prince Turki offered his views on US-Saudi relations, the war between Russia and Ukraine, and the ever-shifting dynamics of Middle Eastern geopolitics at a time of rising oil prices and diplomatic tensions.

“We have always considered our relationship with the US as being strategic,” he said on the question of whether many Saudis feel they have been betrayed by one of their closest allies.

“We’ve had our ups and downs over the years and perhaps, at this time, it’s one of the downs, particularly since the president of the US, in his election campaign, said that he will make Saudi Arabia a pariah. And, of course, he went on to practice what he preached: First of all, by stopping the joint operations that America had with the Kingdom in meeting the challenge of the Houthi-led rebellion in Yemen against the Yemeni people. And, second, among other similar actions, by not meeting with (Saudi Arabia’s crown prince) and publicly declaring that he would not meet with the crown prince, and, at one stage, withdrawing anti-aircraft missile batteries from the Kingdom when we were facing an increase in attacks by the Houthis using Iranian equipment like missiles and drones.”

Pointing out that Saudi Arabia “all the time … has been calling for a peaceful solution to the Yemen conflict,” Prince Turki said: “Unfortunately the Houthis have always either not responded to that call or simply ignored it or opposed it. And, as we see now, there is a supposed ceasefire established by the UN, but the Houthis continue to infringe on that ceasefire and to take advantage of the ceasefire to reposition their forces and replenish them.”

“So, basically this is how the situation has come to this stage,” he said, referring to the current state of US-Saudi relations. “I hope that we’ll get over it like we got over so many previous downturns in the relationship.”

On the face of it, Washington seems to be quite eager to keep its communication channels with Riyadh open with phone calls and visits by officials but, according to Prince Turki, “it’s not just one thing.”

He said: “It’s the general tone of the atmosphere and America, for example, has been declaring, or American officials have been declaring, that they are in support of Saudi Arabia and will help Saudi Arabia defend itself against outside aggression and so on. We are grateful for those statements, but we need to see more in terms of the relationship between the two leaderships.”

He shrugged off the claim that Saudi Arabia has not budged on the issue of the oil problems that the US is facing, countering it with the argument that Washington itself “is the reason for the state that it is in because of its energy policy.”

“President Biden made it a policy of the US government to cut all links to what is called the oil and gas industry. He curtailed oil production and gas production in the US (when) it had been, in the last few years, the biggest producer of these two energy sources,” Prince Turki said.

This curtailment of US energy production, he says, helped lift the price of oil, together with the OPEC+ agreement established after the COVID-19 difficulty, which “was an agreement to bring down production in order to stabilize the prices, for the benefit of everybody and stability of oil prices.”

Prince Turki was emphatic that Saudi Arabia does not want to be “an instrument or a reason for instability in oil prices,” indicating that actions such as the embargo of 1973 were a thing of the past.

“That is why the Kingdom and the other OPEC members and the OPEC+ members are sticking to the production quotas that they have assigned themselves. I have read that the recent decision by OPEC+ to incrementally increase oil production while the agreement is effective, is in response to the difficulties that people have in the energy sector. Another factor that adds to all this is the security issue, the high rates of insurance that have come about as a result of the war in Ukraine, plus the European and US curtailment of, and sanctions on, the Russian oil industry. All of these things have added to the increase in oil prices.”

In this connection, Prince Turki expressed strong displeasure with comments made by Hillary Clinton, the former US secretary of state, on NBC’s “Meet the Press” program in support of a “carrot-and-stick” approach to force Saudi Arabia to increase its share of oil production in order to reduce prices during what she called an “existential crisis.”

Reiterating that he could not speak for all Saudis, Prince Turki said: “We are not schoolchildren to be treated with a carrot and stick. We are a sovereign country, and when we are dealt with fairly and squarely, we respond likewise. It is unfortunate that such statements are made by politicians wherever they may be. I hope that the relationship of the Kingdom and the US will not hinge around or be built upon that principle.”

Likewise, Prince Turki brushed away the charge that Riyadh has chosen to side with Moscow in the Ukraine conflict, noting that “the Kingdom has publicly declared and voted to condemn the aggression against Ukraine that was passed by the UN General Assembly.”

Pointing out that Saudi Arabia offered to mediate between Russia and Ukraine, he said: “As a mediator, it will have to maintain a link and the ability to talk to both sides. We’ve had good relations with both countries over the years. In general, as I mentioned, the Kingdom is against the aggression in Ukraine. But also, most recently, the Kingdom has contributed to the fund that was established by the UN to provide support for the Ukrainian refugees in Europe. So that is where the Kingdom stands.”

He described the Saudi mediation bid as “an offer of a friend to friends — both Ukraine and Russia — (with) whom we have had excellent relations in the recent past.”

Moving on to what he perceives as international hypocrisy exposed by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Prince Turki said this has been proven “by the way refugees from Ukraine have been described in civilizational terms as being one with the West and one with Europe and so on, as if other refugees from the Middle East or from other parts of the world are not equally human as Ukrainians. That’s one discrepancy in the way that Western media particularly has depicted the issue of the refugees.

“Another one of course — part of the hypocrisy — is the UN and the way that sanctions have been placed on Russia for invading Ukraine but no sanctions for example had been placed on Israel when it invaded Arab countries a few years back. Those are the double standards and the injustices that I think have been taking place over the years.”

On the question of whether Israel should therefore be treated at par with Russia when it comes to sanctions, Prince Turki did not pull punches. “Absolutely. I don’t see what the difference is there between the two,” he told “Frankly Speaking.”

He added: “Aggression is aggression, whether it is committed by Russia or by Israel.”

Furthermore, Prince Turki cast doubt on the theory that normalizing relations with Israel — the route taken by a number of Arab countries, including Egypt, Jordan, the UAE and Bahrain — could be a more productive policy. “I have seen no evidence of that,” he said. “The Palestinian people are still occupied, they are still being imprisoned by the Israeli government. Attacks and assassinations of Palestinian individuals take place almost on a daily basis. The stealing of Palestinian land by Israel continues despite the assurances that Israel gave to the signatories of the peace (accord) between the UAE and Israel. So, there is no sign whatsoever that appeasing Israel is going to change their attitude.”

On issues closer to home, Prince Turki views the recent visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, for one, as a positive development. “I think the leadership in Turkey has come to realize that their previous animus toward the Kingdom was not serving anybody’s well-being and purpose, especially the Turkish people,” he said, referring to the disputes and disagreements of recent years.

“Historic links bring us together with Turkey not just in terms of geography, but also in terms of human relations and family ties between the two countries. My own grandmother was of Turkish extraction, Circassian.”

Moving forward, the relationship “should be one of the best in terms of benefit for both countries,” Prince Turki said, citing such areas as trade, construction, development projects, and investments by Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

“All of those, I hope, will be restored now that the relationship is hopefully back to normal,” he added.

He expressed similarly cautious optimism about the likelihood of a lasting peace deal in Yemen on the basis of the recently concluded Riyadh agreement and the Ramadan ceasefire.

“I’ve always maintained that ceasefire agreements, as attempted by the UN, particularly concerning Yemen, have lacked one crucial aspect which has not led to their success, and that is a mechanism to enforce the ceasefires,” Prince Turki said.

“We saw, after the Kuwait meeting back in 2016, there was a ceasefire, but it led nowhere. And then there was the Swedish-sponsored ceasefire attempt back in 2018, equally without much success. Saudi Arabia’s own efforts at unilateral ceasefires of recent years have led nowhere because there was no mechanism to implement the ceasefire.”

Nevertheless, Prince Turki expressed hope that with the renewed international impetus to bring the fighting in Yemen to an end, some sort of instrument can be implemented so that any party that does not abide by the ceasefire terms is publicly shamed by the international community.

“That has not happened yet. I have not yet seen the UN saying that the Houthis are not abiding by the ceasefire,” he said, adding: “But I hope that they will have the courage and the moral courage to stand up and say who is at fault here.”


Palestinian child arrives in Saudi Arabia for treatment under King Salman’s directives

Updated 13 June 2025
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Palestinian child arrives in Saudi Arabia for treatment under King Salman’s directives

RIYADH: Palestinian Mohammed Khaled Hijazi, 7, arrived in the Kingdom on Thursday with his parents to receive medical care and was immediately transferred to the King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh.

The supervisor general at the Saudi aid agency KSrelief, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, thanked King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the humanitarian initiative to treat the Palestinian boy in the Kingdom.

Al-Rabeeah said that Hijazi lost his right eye while his left eye was severely damaged by an explosion while he was playing with friends near their house, which was completely destroyed, in the Jabalia camp, north of Gaza, last month.

The supervisor general prayed for the boy’s speedy recovery and for the Palestinian people to be relieved of their suffering.

He clarified that this initiative is a continuation of the relief and humanitarian efforts provided by the Kingdom to the Palestinian people in times of crisis and adversity, particularly the most vulnerable categories, such as children, who innocently pay the price of conflicts.

Al-Rabeeah also saidthat the initiative is part of the humanitarian approach adopted by the Kingdom toward needy peoples through KSrelief, which does not discriminate based on gender, race, or religion, and is fundamentally rooted in noble human principles of compassion and human solidarity.

The Palestinian boy’s parents expressed their appreciation and gratitude to the Kingdom for treating their son, affirming that this brotherly gesture is not unusual from the Kingdom’s leadership, which has always been known for its honorable stance in support of the Palestinian people.


Wrapped in gratitude: How Saudi women are redefining post-Hajj gift culture

Updated 13 June 2025
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Wrapped in gratitude: How Saudi women are redefining post-Hajj gift culture

RIYADH: In Saudi Arabia, the end of Hajj doesn’t simply mark the conclusion of a sacred pilgrimage — it opens the door to another cherished tradition.

Gift-giving, known locally as hadiyat al-hajj or “the pilgrim’s gift,” is a gesture that turns a personal journey into a shared blessing. For many, it is an expression of faith, gratitude and love.

While classics like Zamzam water and dates still hold their place, a new generation of Saudi women is redefining this tradition, infusing it with creative spirit, personal stories and intentional detail. From custom packaging to symbolic items and handwritten notes, Hajj gifts today are becoming more than a token — they’re a continuation of the spiritual journey itself.

“I didn’t want to just hand someone a plastic bottle and say, ‘I went’,” said Nawal Al-Subaie, aged 30. “So I put together small bundles with Zamzam water, engraved tasbeeh and handwritten du’a cards for each friend. It was my way of letting them in on the experience.”

The gifts now often carry symbolic meaning — a fragrance that evokes the air of Arafat, prayer cards reflecting moments of silence in Muzdalifah, or a simple stamped tag reading “Hajj Mabroor” in hand-drawn calligraphy. The items are chosen with care, often representing moments that shaped the pilgrim’s heart.

For Dana Al-Hamdan, 26, the most powerful way to preserve the feeling of Hajj was through images. Instead of giving traditional gifts, she printed instant film photographs she took throughout her pilgrimage, labeled with the exact date and time.

“I gave them to my twin sister,” she said. “One was from Arafat just before Maghrib, another from the moment I arrived in Mina. They weren’t staged — they were raw and personal.”

The emotional weight of that gesture lingered far beyond the exchange.

“She kept one photo in her wallet and the other on her desk.” Al-Hamdan said.

This new take on hadiyat al-hajj is trending on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. Videos show everything from Hajj-themed gift boxes and laser-cut Qur’anic bookmarks to handmade pouches, scented oils and memory tokens.

But it isn’t about luxury or performance; it’s about thoughtfulness. Many women prepare the gifts in quiet, reflective settings. Some add prayers or verses. Others prepare items based on personal meaning, such as a prayer for healing, a verse for patience, or an object that symbolizes strength.

Latifa Al-Dossari, 27, created sets of prayer beads and placed them inside tiny velvet bags, along with notes describing what that day of Hajj felt like.

“It was like writing someone a letter from Mina,” she said.

What’s happening with these gifts is part of a larger movement, a shift toward a more expressive, emotionally honest form of spirituality. For many Saudi women, especially younger ones, Hajj is not only a rite to fulfill, but a memory to share, a testimony that invites others in.

Some see hadiyat al-hajj as souvenirs, others see them as silent declarations. “I remembered you,” they say. “I carried your name. This was not a journey I took alone.”

The true beauty of this tradition lies in the unspoken energy that surrounds it. These are not mass-produced tokens; they are gifts that hold time, intention, and prayer.

For the women crafting them, the act is a final ritual, a quiet bridge from the pilgrim’s journey back to daily life, but built with du’a, thought and love rather than stone or scripture.

Because, in the end, the real gift isn’t the Zamzam or the photograph or the beads. It’s the sincerity that comes with it — the kind that says: “You were with me, even when I was away.”


Saudi Arabia leads Arab condemnation of Israel attacks on Iran

Updated 13 June 2025
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Saudi Arabia leads Arab condemnation of Israel attacks on Iran

  • ‘Heinous attacks’ on ‘brotherly’ Iran violates international law
  • UN, global community must ‘immediately halt this aggression’

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia led Arab condemnation Israel’s strikes on Iran early on Friday, which targeted multiple sites it linked to the country’s nuclear program and killed at least two top military officers, raising the potential for an all-out war between the two bitter Middle East adversaries.

The strikes killed Hossein Salami, the chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, along with another top IRGC official and two nuclear scientists in the initial raids.

It appeared to be the most significant attack Iran has faced since its 1980s war with Iraq.

Saudi Arabia was the first Arab nation to speak out against the attacks, stating that the Kingdom “expresses its strong condemnation and denunciation of the blatant Israeli aggressions against the brotherly Islamic Republic of Iran, which undermine its sovereignty and security and constitute a clear violation of international laws and norms,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

The statement added: “While the Kingdom condemns these heinous attacks, it affirms that the international community and the (UN) Security Council bear a great responsibility to immediately halt this aggression.”

The strikes came amid simmering tensions over Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program and appeared certain to trigger a reprisal, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warning that “severe punishment” would be directed at Israel. Hours later, Israel’s military said it had begun intercepting Iranian drones launched in retaliation.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military operation on Iran would “continue for as many days as it takes” to “roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival.”

Israel has declared a state of emergency in anticipation of retaliatory missile and drone strikes.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei meanwhile warned that Israel would suffer severe consequences after the deadly attacks.

“With this crime, the Zionist regime has set itself for a bitter and painful fate and it will definitely receive it,” Khamenei said in a statement.

Early speculation as to how aware US President Donald Trump was of the attacks soon came to an end after telling Fox News he had received “advanced notice”, stating that “Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb and we are hoping to get back to the negotiating table. We will see.”

Iran later said it would not be attending talks scheduled to take place in Oman. 


How emerging AI talent is shaping the future of smart healthcare in Saudi Arabia

Updated 13 June 2025
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How emerging AI talent is shaping the future of smart healthcare in Saudi Arabia

  • HuLP is an AI tool enabling doctors to refine cancer predictions in real-time, improving accuracy and trust
  • Med-YOLOWorld is a universal AI imaging tool that reads nine medical scan types at 70 frames per second

RIYADH: As Saudi Arabia accelerates its investment in AI-powered healthcare, two young researchers from the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence are building the very tools that hospitals in the Kingdom will soon need — intelligent, interpretable, and scalable systems for diagnosis and prognosis.

Although the university’s 2025 cohort did not include Saudi nationals this year, the work of two standout graduates, Mohammed Firdaus Ridzuan and Tooba Tehreem Sheikh, directly aligns with Saudi Arabia’s healthcare transformation plans under Vision 2030.

Their research offers practical, forward-looking solutions for the Kingdom’s next generation of smart hospitals.

At a time when AI systems are being deployed across diagnostic units in Saudi hospitals, from the King Faisal Specialist Hospital to new initiatives backed by the Saudi Data and AI Authority, the focus is shifting from capability to clarity.

Can the systems provide real-time support? Can they explain their reasoning? Can doctors intervene? These are the questions both Ridzuan and Sheikh have set out to answer.

Ridzuan, a PhD graduate in machine learning, developed Human-in-the-Loop for Prognosis, or HuLP for short — a cancer survival prediction system that places doctors back at the center of AI-powered decision-making.

Mohammed Firdaus Ridzuan. (Supplied)

“While AI has made significant strides in diagnosing diseases, predicting individual survival outcomes, especially in cancer, is still a challenging task,” Ridzuan told Arab News. “Our model addresses this by enabling real-time clinician intervention.”

Unlike traditional models that operate in isolation, HuLP is built for collaboration. Medical professionals can adjust and refine its predictions using their clinical expertise. These adjustments are not just temporary; they influence how the model evolves.

“Doctors and medical professionals can actively engage with the system,” Ridzuan said. “Their insights don’t just influence the result — they actually help the model learn.”

This approach to human-AI partnership ensures that predictions remain explainable, context-aware, and grounded in patient-specific realities, a key need for Saudi hospitals integrating AI at scale.

“By allowing clinicians to dynamically adjust predictions, we create a more adaptive and responsive system that can handle local challenges,” Ridzuan added.

The Kingdom’s healthcare institutions are undergoing a digital transformation driven by national entities like SDAIA, the Ministry of Health, and the Center for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Innovation.

The Saudi Company for Artificial Intelligence (SCAI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, and KFSHI aigned a partnership in 2024 to commercialize GenAI. (Supplied)

These entities are focused not only on adopting new AI tools but also on ensuring that these systems can integrate into clinical workflows. This is where Ridzuan sees HuLP making an impact.

“Smart hospitals are already integrating AI diagnostic tools for medical imaging and patient data analysis,” he said. “Our model can take this to the next level by empowering clinicians to interact with and guide the system’s predictions.”

In settings where trust and transparency are vital, Ridzuan’s collaborative model could help hospitals overcome one of AI’s most persistent problems: the black box effect.

This refers to the opaque nature of certain systems, particularly in the field of AI, where the internal workings and decision-making processes are hidden or unknown.

The emphasis on local relevance also comes through in HuLP’s design. Ridzuan says real-time data from regional healthcare systems is essential for training accurate, context-sensitive models.

“Local data provides insights into the unique health conditions and medical practices within the Gulf region,” he said. “Integrating this data ensures that the AI is attuned to the specific needs and health profiles of patients in the region.

The system is built to learn continuously. As clinicians correct or refine its predictions, the model updates itself, improving with each interaction. This feedback loop is crucial for real-world deployments, especially in the Gulf, where data quality can be inconsistent.

While Ridzuan is focused on outcomes, Sheikh, an MSc graduate in computer vision, is transforming the way hospitals detect disease in the first place.

Her project, Med-YOLOWorld, is a next-generation imaging system that can read nine types of medical scans in real time.

Unlike traditional radiology AI tools, which are often limited to specific tasks, Med-YOLOWorld operates with open-vocabulary detection. That means it can identify anomalies and organ structures that it has not been explicitly trained on — a key feature for scalability.

“Most models are confined to a single modality like CT or X-ray,” Sheikh told Arab News. “Med-YOLOWorld supports nine diverse imaging types, including ultrasound, dermoscopy, microscopy, and histopathology.”

With support for up to 70 frames per second, the system is designed for clinical deployment in high-demand environments.

Sheikh sees clear potential for its use in Saudi Arabia, where institutions like the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre are already implementing multi-modal AI imaging tools.

The Center for Health Intelligence is KFSHRC's arm for Innovating the Future of Healthcare. (Supplied)

“It can seamlessly integrate with existing imaging systems to enable open-vocabulary detection,” she said. “Identifying a wide range of medical findings — even those outside its original training set — is essential for fast-paced clinical environments.”

But building a universal imaging tool came with its own technical hurdles.

“The biggest challenge was managing the diverse preprocessing requirements across imaging modalities,” Sheikh said. “CT and MRI scans need intensity normalization, while ultrasound, dermoscopy, and microscopy have completely different visual characteristics.”

Data imbalance was another issue. While MRI and CT scans are widely available, data for more niche imaging types is scarce. Sheikh tackled this by designing custom augmentation techniques to ensure the model performs consistently across all modalities.

She is now working on combining Med-YOLOWorld with vision-language models, systems that explain what they see in natural language.

“MiniGPT-Med does a great job at explaining radiology images,” she said. “But pairing it with a system like Med-YOLOWorld adds a crucial dimension — open-world localization. Not just describing the issue but pointing to it.”

This fusion could create a powerful end-to-end diagnostic pipeline: detect, explain, and localize. For Saudi hospitals embracing AI-driven imaging, the impact could be transformative.

Tooba Tehreem Sheikh. (Supplied)

For Sheikh, the global implications of her work are just as important as the technical achievements. “Med-YOLOWorld reduces the need for large, annotated datasets,” she said. “In fast-scaling healthcare systems, that’s a game-changer.”

By enabling the detection of unseen categories, the system can remain relevant even as new diseases or anomalies emerge. And when combined with language models, it can assist in medical training, annotations, and decision support, all while reducing dependence on expert-labeled data.

This approach could accelerate AI adoption in emerging regions, including across the Gulf and the wider Middle East and North Africa, where access to large datasets and AI-specialized radiologists remains limited.

While MBZUAI is based in the UAE, its alumni are playing a growing role in shaping AI initiatives that extend across the Gulf. Both Ridzuan and Sheikh have demonstrated how innovation, when aligned with clinical realities and regional goals, can scale far beyond the lab.

As Saudi Arabia continues to invest in smart hospitals, real-time imaging, and personalized care, tools like HuLP and Med-YOLOWorld represent the next wave of AI in healthcare: explainable, collaborative, and regionally adaptable.

And with growing partnerships between research institutions, healthcare providers, and government entities, these systems may not be far from deployment in the Kingdom, paving the way for a more intelligent, human-centered approach to medical care.
 

 


Pilgrims through the lens: How photographers document scenes of faith during Hajj

Updated 13 June 2025
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Pilgrims through the lens: How photographers document scenes of faith during Hajj

MAKKAH: Every year, the holy lands transform into a unique visual spectacle pulsing with faith and human diversity, drawing the world’s eyes to Makkah, where millions of Muslims perform the pilgrimage of Hajj.

During this period of spiritual and human momentum, photographers stand as visual historians, conveying to the world unforgettable scenes through their lenses that capture moments of worship, tears, unity, mercy, and cultural diversity.

Photographer Anas Al-Harthi said: “When I carry my camera during Hajj season, I feel that I am not just documenting an event but painting a grand canvas of faith in human colors from every continent.”

He added: “A photographer during Hajj does not just take a picture — he moves with a deep sense that this shot may remain a witness to a moment that will never be repeated in the pilgrim’s life.”

Photo by Faisal Al-Thaqafi.

Al-Harthi pointed out that the greatest challenge is respecting the sanctity of the scene without interfering with it, which requires a high artistic sense and an appreciation of place, time and situation.

Photographer Anas Bakhsh said that the experience of photographing during Hajj places the photographer at the heart of human emotion.

“Thousands of faces pass before you, and each face carries a story, every tear bears a prayer, and every movement expresses longing and contentment. Sometimes I feel that the photo I took is an answered prayer for someone in a moment of complete submission to God.”

He said that the scene forever engraved in his memory is when crowds gather on the plain of Arafat at the same time, a majestic sight where differences between people dissolve and the sounds of Talbiyah and supplication rise.

Photographer Faisal Al-Thaqafi said that professional photography during Hajj is not only about technical skill, but also about cultural and religious awareness, and the ability to engage with the scene with the spirit of a believing photographer. “The photographer during Hajj is not just a professional holding a camera — he is an eye pulsing with faith, translating emotion into imagery.”

He added: “Sometimes you capture an image of an elderly pilgrim raising his hands to the sky, and you realize that this photo will remain in people’s hearts more than any commentary or report — because it is sincere, pure, and simple.”

The three photographers agree that the logistical challenges — crowds, heat, and problems involving mobility — do not stand in the way of their passion. Instead, they drive them to exert double the effort to document this unique event.

Bakhsh said: “Every season, I return home with thousands of photos, but I keep only one or two for myself — those images that I feel touched something inside me and perhaps touched the hearts of millions around the world.”

Photo by Faisal Al-Thaqafi.

Al-Thaqafi said that a successful photograph during Hajj is not only one of high visual quality, but one that conveys a genuine emotion. “The strongest images are those that do not need an explanation. You see a pilgrim smiling or crying, and you feel your heart tremble.”

Al-Harthi believes that a photograph can change the world’s perception of Hajj and bring this great ritual closer to non-Muslims as well, saying: “We are not working only for documentation — we are working to build a human bridge, where the spirit of Islam is shown through an honest and professional lens.”

With these sincere lenses, the Hajj season becomes an open exhibition of spirituality, where photos tell stories that words cannot express, and bear witness to the greatest annual human gathering, where everyone is equal in attire, and united in purpose: seeking mercy and forgiveness.

Amid this visual momentum created by photographers through their lenses, the impact of these images is also felt by the pilgrims themselves and by millions of followers on social media. Syrian pilgrim Omar Al-Kadeeb, from Deir Ezzor, said: “Photos of relatives who performed the pilgrimage in the holy sites and near the Kaaba reached my family and friends within minutes and spread widely. At that moment, we felt like we were part of their spiritual journey despite the distance.” He added: “I saw images taken of pilgrims from all nationalities, and I found myself moving emotionally through the scenes — from a father crying in prayer, to a child smiling in Arafat, to a woman raising her hands to the sky in a profoundly moving moment that cannot be described.”

Photos by Faisal Al-Thaqafi, center shot, and Anas Al-Harthi.

Al-Kadeeb said that the professional photos shared by photographers on platforms such as X, Instagram and TikTok enhance the status of Hajj in people’s hearts and make it feel more relatable and more meaningful to the viewer — even if they are not performing Hajj themselves.

“I believe every beautiful image from Hajj is an indirect invitation for people to dream of Hajj and to realize the greatness of this immense pillar,” Al-Kadeeb said.

He concluded with high praise for the photographers: “They are not just professionals — they are messengers of peace and beauty, delivering the message in today’s universal language: a photo.”