The Department of Oral History documents in the National Archives in interviews with the narrators of senior citizens the immortal memories of the first generation of the UAE people about the pilgrimage of the ancient Emirates to the Holy Land, to perform the duty initiated by Islam and held by the members of the UAE society as old as possible. Hajj at the time that the hearts were filled with faith, and suffered the bodies hardship where it spends months on the appearance of the commandments passes through the desert and Vaiaviha and stalemate in extremely difficult conditions, seeking to the House of God and to Medina.

Guarding the convoy

One of the narrators who documented the history of oral history, Khalifa Saeed Khalaf al-Dhahri, tells us: We used to go to Hajj on the backs of the camel. Pilgrims were going from Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. The trip to Mecca takes two months, From the road sector, the pilgrims were taking turns guarding the convoy when they went back to the desert in the night.

In another scene, Ali Ahmad Shaheen al-Qasili al-Mansouri from Dhafra said that one of the pilgrims told him that when he arrived in Mecca he and his companions prayed in one of their mosques and then turned to their passengers. Al-Mutawa asked them: Where did you come from? So they told him, "How many months did it take you?" They said: Today we complete the two months, he said and your home takes two months? They said: Yes, he said: Are you in your house (your country) you appoint Comrade? And help the neighbor? And you repeat the guest? They said: These are normal habits for us, and he said: By God, you are hired, and need you in your homes, (that is, those who enjoyed those qualities have the reward of the pilgrim).

In another narration of oral history, Khalid Abdullah Sulaiman al-Hinai from Abu Dhabi said: "We used to go to the hajj (pilgrimage) to the boshe, who intends to do Hajj with the owner of the bush and join a group that agrees with them. But they are few, and only the one who has the money can drive the plane.

Obedience to the Beneficent

"My father tells me that the Hajj takes 90 nights and they leave our country for the sake of the obedience of the Beneficent. Some of them go up to the Hajj, some of them die on the way. Narrated by the Prophet that her father did not perform Hajj, He used to describe the journey of the pilgrims when they went out to travel carrying food with them, which suited the desert atmosphere, such as dry bread, dried fish, margarine and water, and walked with their guide who knew about the pilgrimage route. They did not have a compass.

Extended roots

"The late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God bless him and grant him peace, helped to empower his people and the Islamic Ummah to perform Hajj," said Dr. Aisha Bakhir, Research Advisor for the National Archives. Sheikh Zayed issued the National Archives of his humanitarian initiatives and strengthen the role of Islam and its members, and facilitate the performance of the pilgrimage to people. In 1980, 600 citizens to perform the Hajj at his own expense, and the attention of the late Sheikh Zayed to the delegations of pilgrims from Islamic countries.

Dr. Ayesha Bakhir points out that the interest in Hajj has its roots in the UAE. This is what the narrators refer to as what is known as the "Barwa" in the ancient Emirates. It is a written paper in which the holder of the Hajj is arrested. Tribes and dignitaries of the country to obtain the supply of rice, flour, sugar and coffee, so the initiative of the late Sheikh Zayed to send pilgrims to safeguard their dignity.

documentation

"I went to Mecca to perform Hajj for the first time when I was about 16 years old, and I remember that it was during the reign of King Abdul Aziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud," said Haji Saeed Ahmed Nasser bin Lootah, We went to Al-Ahsa, and from there we went to Riyadh, then to Makkah, and to Madinah. We took the road back to Shukri and from there to Riyadh, and from Riyadh the government gave us two large transport cars. Al-Ajir, and from Al-Ajir we rode the steamboat (LNG) until Bahrain, Bahrain rode in (Lange) last until we reached our country, and the journey took back and forth three months ».

Haji Saeed Ahmad Nasser bin Lootah recalls that when he went to the Hajj with his father, many of the clerks wrote letters to the Bedouin about the king before entering it. "We went to a writer to write us a letter and he told me your need," he said. The writer was surprised by this Bedouin man and his form and clothes, and began to write and every moment the writer looks at my father's face, and then asked him from which university graduate? My father was surprised by the question. If this proves anything, it indicates a change in the education system. "

In their book "Remembering Our History," narrator Obeid Rashid Obeid Ahmed bin Sandal al-Ali remembers how he traveled from Sharjah to Kuwait in the 1950s. His mother was then taken to Kuwait for Hajj with Hajj trips by car.

In order to travel to Kuwait in 1955, he obtained the passport from the late Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr al-Qasimi, the ruler of Sharjah (1924-1951). In those days, passports were accompanied by a person's data. He was a citizen of the Emirate of Sharjah, And we ask the representatives of governments to allow the holder freedom of movement, and facilitate the difficulties, and give him the assistance he needs as required by the friendship.

Sheikh Zayed contributed to the empowerment of his people and the Islamic Ummah to perform the Hajj. Sheikh Zayed's Journals, published by the National Archives, documented his humanitarian initiatives, his promotion of the role of Islam and its members, and facilitating the performance of Hajj for the people. In 1980, His own money, and the attention of the late Sheikh Zayed has reached the delegations of pilgrims who belong to Islamic countries.

Khalifa Al Dhahiri:

• "The trip to Mecca took two months, and was carefully wary of the road sector."

Khaled Al-Hinai:

• "The aircraft were present, but few, and only aircraft who had money did not drive the plane."