One of the more impressive features of the hajj, I have always thought, is its egalitarianism. Pilgrims perform their rituals in a state that is as close as possible to what nature intended. Wrapped only in a single piece of unstitched cloth and with the simplest of footwear, they do not shave or put on make-up or perfumes. Rich or poor, powerful or lowly – all are equal in the sight of God and all endure the rigours of the hajj together.

Imagine my disappointment, therefore, on reading an article in Arab News yesterday, headed: "Wealthy pilgrims offered VIP services". For a price, the paper says, affluent Muslims can "perform the hajj in the comfort of luxurious tents". There's a picture inside one of the tents, and very nice it is, too.

For those who prefer to avoid the bustle of the crowd, there are also luxury buses to transport them from place to place.

Some who avail themselves of these services say it allows them to focus on the spiritual aspects of the hajj in a state of "serenity" but concentrating on up-market pilgrims also helps the companies involved to maximise their revenue. A Google search for "VIP hajj" throws up numerous companies offering these services (here and here, for example).

One pilgrim who opted for the VIP hajj – an Egyptian investor living in Britain – told Arab News his mutawif (pilgrimage guide) had even provided him with a velvet bag containing cleaned and sterilised stones to throw at the pillars symbolising Satan. “The mutawif has spared me the trouble of collecting these stones from Muzdalifah,” he said.

Posted by Brian Whitaker, 27 November 2009.