Extremist cult of blackmailing scammers in charge of Mecca abruptly limits access to Hajj

[Хahar 🤔]

I also do want to underscore that this is specifically to own Muslims from the Western world--not Muslims from Saudi Arabia's traditional enemies/rivals like Iran or Turkey or those of the Gulf states that hate it now. These are the people we're supposed to believe are better "allies" to the West than a hypothetical opening to Iran would get us. A reasonable argument can be made that trying to maneuver Iran into the diplomatic position that Saudi Arabia is in now would be more trouble than it's worth, but please let's not pretend the Saudis like or respect us. They don't.

Nobody hates the Sauds more than I do, but while I don't know anything about this story than the link you've posted here (my mom has been in Bangladesh, but I'll talk to her when I see her next, since she'll have some thoughts), but my immediate reading is definitely not yours. The process of going on hajj is already quite unusual compared to other firms of travel, since travel has to be booked through a hajj-certified agency.

The most obvious explanation to me is that the government is now using covid-related disruption as an opportunity to permanently cut out the middlemen. It's not plausible to me that this is designed to spite the West, in part because this serves no obvious political goals but mostly because the state's religious legitimacy in the Islamic world depends entirely on its ability to guarantee access to the hajj. It cannot possibly be overstated how important this is.

[Хahar 🤔]

I also do want to underscore that this is specifically to own Muslims from the Western world--not Muslims from Saudi Arabia's traditional enemies/rivals like Iran or Turkey or those of the Gulf states that hate it now. These are the people we're supposed to believe are better "allies" to the West than a hypothetical opening to Iran would get us. A reasonable argument can be made that trying to maneuver Iran into the diplomatic position that Saudi Arabia is in now would be more trouble than it's worth, but please let's not pretend the Saudis like or respect us. They don't.

Nobody hates the Sauds more than I do, but while I don't know anything about this story than the link you've posted here (my mom has been in Bangladesh, but I'll talk to her when I see her next, since she'll have some thoughts), but my immediate reading is definitely not yours. The process of going on hajj is already quite unusual compared to other firms of travel, since travel has to be booked through a hajj-certified agency.

The most obvious explanation to me is that the government is now using covid-related disruption as an opportunity to permanently cut out the middlemen. It's not plausible to me that this is designed to spite the West, in part because this serves no obvious political goals but mostly because the state's religious legitimacy in the Islamic world depends entirely on its ability to guarantee access to the hajj. It cannot possibly be overstated how important this is.

Just wondering, what's the price of a typical Hajj travel package through one of these? I know it's well beyond the economic means of the vast majority of Muslims, but is it affordable for a typical middle class American family?

Here's what I've had to say to this question before:

Out of curiosity, how much does going on Hajj cost?

It depends on what country you're coming from, since quotas for the Hajj are assigned by country and the only way to get the necessary documentation is by buying a travel package from a licensed agent in your country. Typically if you're coming from the United States the cost will end up being something in the very general ballpark of $10,000. From, say, Bangladesh, the price would be about half that. Part of the difference comes from the added expense of travel, but the bigger difference is that if you're American you'll be staying in luxury accommodations, because that's the only option that American packages offer. It's a strange system.

It's obviously a large expense but it's much less than, say, a new car.

[Хahar 🤔]

My parents have friends over, and this topic has come up. Everyone is pleased that prices this year are down several thousand dollars to $10,000 because the middlemen have been cut out.