Felt nice to be just another face in the crowd at Hajj: Fawad Khan

Pakistani actor Fawad Khan has said it felt good to be a face in the crowd during Hajj.

In an interview with Arab News, Khan said,“Being one among 2.4 million people is the easiest thing on earth.”

“You feel comfortable because you are in the same space with other people who bare their hearts to God. You feel just like any other person among them. And you are not under media scrutiny as you are on normal days,” he shared.

Known for his roles in successful Pakistani dramas such as Humsafar and Zindagi Gulzar Hai, the actor has also made a name for himself across the border with his roles in Bollywood movie Khoobsurat and Kapoor & Sons.

“I enjoy the anonymity now and then,” he said.

“In a way, it is very refreshing. People during Hajj are so busy and caught up in what they are doing that they don’t have time for these things. They are very considerate. They are very careful about what they are doing,” the 36-year-old actor added.

 

Speaking about his childhood which the actor spent in Riyadh, Khan said the visit reminded him of his days spent here.

“I really enjoyed the time when I was growing up. When I left Riyadh, I was sad because those were my formative years. I had a feeling of nostalgia. I remember as a child when performing Umrah, there wasn’t much rush or traffic. The running between Safa and Marwa as part of the ritual was more like a game because I would race with my sister at that time and being there again brought all those memories back,” he said.

On the arrangements that were made this year for the pilgrims Khan said, everything was seamless and the people helpful.

“Hajj was made very easy by the ministry. The facilities made everything comfortable despite the blistering heat,” he said.

“The arrangements were seamless. At Jamrat, where the stoning ritual takes place, there is a sea of people coming down and you feel like it is going to be impossible. Then you get into the crowd and you start moving slowly but comfortably. There is still space to move even though it looks like it is impossible. And then, suddenly, you are done," he added.

 

Khan added, "All this is possible only because there is an efficient security force and a government that is paying close attention to how everything is happening. And they are trying to make it flow as easily as possible. Kudos to them."

“And people are very helpful. There is obviously a language barrier, but you overcome that somehow,” he added.

The actor also said people should undertake the pilgrimage when they are young.

“My reason for saying that is not just because of the energy of the young and able,” he said.

“When you are younger, your mind is like a sponge and it absorbs more. I feel Hajj and Makkah is not only for the pilgrimage. When people from all over the world meet in groups in congregations, it is actually a means of cultural exchange,” Khan added.

“Imagine meeting three million Muslims coming from different backgrounds and all walks of life from many different countries and spending 10 days with them. It is the best form of communication. Being exposed to these things teaches you tolerance and gives you an invaluable form of education.”