Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud is on a spiritual journey in Saudi Arabia as he performs hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage that’s taking place this year from June 4-9.
Hammoud, the first Muslim to become mayor of Dearborn, is one of more than 1.6 million pilgrims from around the world currently taking part in a series of rites and rituals in Mecca, the holiest city in Islam and the birthplace of its prophet. Going on hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, required of all Muslims at least once in their lifetime provided they are financially and physically capable.
“I will be embarking on the sacred journey of Hajj — the pilgrimage to Mecca that Muslims around the world aspire to make at least once in their lifetime,” Hammoud, 35, said in an Instagram post on May 27, written in both English and Arabic. “This is a deeply personal trip, one rooted in faith, reflection, and renewal.”
Hammoud spoke about how the world these days can seem burdensome.
“It comes at a time when the world feels heavy and our hearts carry more than words can express,” Hammoud said. “Still I go with the intention of fulfilling a spiritual obligation, reconnecting with Allah sbwt (acronym for an Arabic phrase meaning: ‘May He be glorified and exalted’), and praying for clarity and peace — for myself, for my family and for our communities near and far.”
It’s unclear how many days Hammoud will be in Saudi Arabia for the trip. A city official told the Free Press that Hammoud is currently on paid time off. He did not attend the mayor’s briefing on Thursday, June 5, a city councilman said. Hajj, which is held 10 days earlier every year, coincides with Eid al-Adha, the Islamic holiday that was held Friday, June 6. Dearborn’s City Hall, some city buildings and public libraries were closed Friday in observance of Eid al-Adha, and employees had the day off, the third year in a row the city has observed Eid holidays.
Before leaving on hajj, Hammoud asked the public for forgiveness, which is recommended by some Islamic scholars and leaders for people performing the pilgrimage.
“As is custom before this journey, I humbly ask for your forgiveness if I have wronged you in word, action or deed — knowingly or unknowingly — I ask that you forgive me,” Hammoud said. “May Allah, sbwt, accept a pilgrimage of all who are making the journey. Please keep us in your prayers, as I will carry yours with me.”
Pilgrims on hajj have to obtain a permit and visa through a website in Saudi Arabia, the U.S. State Department said in its guide for hajj pilgrims. In metro Detroit, mosques or groups often offer packages people can sign up for that include travel and lodging costs, allowing them to journey together. Some offer educational classes on what to expect and the various rites involved. Before the hajj, worshippers are expected to enter into a state of spiritual piety and during the events, men wear simple, white garments.
Hammoud sometimes refers to his faith during public speeches. When he was elected in November 2021, he said during his victory speech: “It is here in Dearborn where we believe that you need not change your name nor your faith, that in this town, we elect you based on the direction in which you lead, no matter the direction in which you pray.”
Hammoud attends services at the Islamic Center of America, a Dearborn mosque that is one of Michigan’s oldest and largest Muslim centers, and where one of his uncles, Sheikh Ahmad Hammoud, is the imam.
Hammoud, a Democrat, is running for reelection this year, seeking a second term, facing a challenge from Nagi Almudhegi, a Republican, who has been outspoken against LGBTQ+ books in schools.
Speaking at another Dearborn mosque in February, Hammoud touched upon religion at times in addressing some criticism he has faced from Republicans for being supportive of the LGBTQ+ community and LGBTQ+ books in schools.
In a September 2022 statement, the mayor noted that conservatives who once attacked Muslims like him were now attacking LGBTQ+ people.
“The same dangerous ideology that once considered people like me ‘a problem’ is now being revived under the guise of preserving ‘liberty,’ ” Hammoud said in 2022. “Our libraries serve as a gateway to knowledge, to imagination, and to possibility. When it comes to our city’s libraries, for the sake of our children, no book will be removed off the shelves.”
But speaking at a mosque in Dearborn in February, Hammoud said of the 2022 statement: “Unfortunately, people took a statement out of context.” He said he doesn’t endorse any lifestyle that doesn’t align with his family’s lifestyle. Hammoud added, however, that “what people are doing in the privacy of their own home” is none of his business as mayor.
“Allah, Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala, tells you what you do in your own household is between you and Allah, Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala,” Hammoud said, using the Arabic words for “God” and “May He be glorified and exalted.”
“My point is: I care for the whole city, to make sure that city services are delivered,” Hammoud added. “When you have issues of property taxes, nobody’s lifestyle matters when it comes to talking about property taxes. When you want to make investments in the parks, what matters is not anybody’s lifestyle.”
Contact Niraj Warikoo: nwarikoo@freepress.com, X @nwarikoo of Facebook @nwarikoo
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud on ‘sacred journey’ in Mecca for pilgrimage
Reporting by Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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