I

am sorry to hear about the horrific stampede ahead of the Jamarat (stoning of the devil) ritual in Mina, which killed over 1,000 pilgrims, including Indonesians.

The tragedy has prompted critics to conclude that the Saudi government is incapable of organizing the pilgrimage. They demand that the pilgrimage be entrusted to Muslim countries, in particular, member states of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).

In my opinion, the criticism is not logical if we take history in account. The organizer of the pilgrimage is the protector of haramayn. The protector is also the conqueror.

In the 15th century, the Mamluk dynasty became the protector of Mecca and Medina because they saved the last scion of the Abbasid Caliph from Mongol aggression in 1258. They acted as protectors of pilgrims in Mecca and Medina. However, historian Caroline Finkel says Mamluk only played a symbolic role and prestigious status as Caliph. They also profited financially from pilgrimage activities.

Ottoman, though not Caliph or protector of holy cities at the time, did not seize Mamluk'€™s control of the pilgrimage management. Ottoman instead helped Mamluk. Beyazit II donated 14,442 gold pieces for pilgrimage management and development of the cities itself. Other sources said the sultan donated 65,700 akçe (silver coins in the Ottoman period) for pilgrims, Meccans and Medinates, Mecca Bedouin (nomadic tribes) and the poor.

But in 1517 the Ottoman conquered Mamluk. Ottoman sultan, Selim I, became the protector of Mecca and Medina. During the Sultan Suleyman the Magnificient period, the Ottoman renovated many facilities in Mecca and Medina.

Ottoman did everything possible to protect pilgrims because they profited from the pilgrims who came from over the whole world.

Historically, the Saud dynasty won great battles in the early 20th century, including World War I, which involved the Ottoman Empire and Britain. In 1902, Muhammad ibn Abdel Aziz ibn Abd-el Rahman or Ibn Saud, under the banner of his family, emerged as a new power in the desert to counter the Ottoman'€™s sovereignty in Arabia. He founded the Kingdom of Arabia.

At that time, the Ottoman was politically under European control. The British came to Saud as a partner to divide the '€œOttoman cake'€. Saud took over Mecca and Medina from the Ottoman. Until now, the Saud dynasty has had the right to manage the pilgrimage.

Religiously, Saudi is seen as the holy power who protects the pilgrimage. The kingdom gains economically from the annual religious event, therefore it is responsible for the well-being of the pilgrims.

So why should Indonesia or OIC states take over this duty while the profits go to Saudi'€™s coffers?

Frial Ramadhan Supratman
Graduate student of Ottoman history
Istanbul University, Turkey