Aside from worrying about terror threats and health diseases, millions of Muslim pilgrims performing Hajj in Makkah are now facing the infamous "selfie" phenomenon, according to the Huffington Post.
With many pilgrims visiting the two holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah this week, snapping photos of themselves as mementos of their trip with the crowds behind them has become quite the trend. However, scholars have criticized the practice as "touristy behavior" and "humble bragging," advising pilgrims not to indulge in such behavior since it serves as an aberration of the spiritual atmosphere of the life-time journey.
Sheikh Assim Al-Hakeem, based in Jeddah, argued that the photos go against the spirit of Hajj and defy the wish of Prophet Muhammad, according to the Arab News.
"Photography without a legitimate reason is an issue of dispute among scholars. However, despite this difference of opinion, there shouldn't be any dispute when it comes to the real meaning of Hajj and the essence behind it. It is based on sincerity and following the Sunnah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) when he went for Hajj, he said: 'O Allah, I ask of you a pilgrimage that contains no boasting or showing off.'"
Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, attracts millions of Muslims from around the world annually since every able-bodied adult who can financially afford the trip must perform the obligation at least once in a lifetime.
Consisting of several ceremonies, which are meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham and his family, it is officially expected to fall between October 2 and 7, with this year's climax falling on October 3 when the faithful descend the Mount Arafat, On Islam reported.
Among the most common pictures found on social media were selfies of pilgrims "walking around the Kaaba, kissing the black stone, perched close to the mount of Safa or Marwa, or standing near the green dome of the Prophet's mosque."
"In Madinah, I noticed a family facing the sun, raising their hands as if they were making dua (prayer). I couldn't figure out what exactly they were doing. But then I noticed a person in front of them taking their picture," said Zahra Mohammad, 27, an Islamic studies teacher in Riyadh.
"I have seen pilgrims in Masjid al-Haram taking selfies with the Kaaba in the background and this selfie is then posted on Facebook making it a social media event and ruining their act of ibadah by 'humble-bragging.'"
Since camera phones were not allowed to be taken inside the holy mosques until recently, the surge in 'selfie fever' at the holy sites could be the relaxation of rules, according to The Independent.
"I was trying to pray Jumma in Masjid al-Haram but a few people kept coming in front of me to film the Khutba (sermon) with their cameras. What happens to one's khushoo (serenity in prayer) in such a situation is anyone's guess," said Ahmad, a Jeddah-based expat performing Hajj this year, adding that such practices disrupt the concentration of worshippers while they pray.
Meanwhile, urging pilgrims to abandon their cameras and focus on Hajj rituals instead, Sheikh Abdul Razzaq Al-Badr reminded Muslims about the main purpose of the spiritual journey, according to On Islam.
"When the Prophet (peace be upon him) reached the Miqaat he would say: 'O Allah make this a Hajj without riya (showing off) and without trying to be heard of.' This supplication is said at the Miqaat. And after making this supplication it is followed by action and striving against the soul," he said.
