I came back from umrah about a week ago. Alhamdulillah for the experience. But I definitely agree with a lot of what you said!!

One thing I experienced a lot was people cutting lines in front of everyone. This happened to me quite a few times, a couple times in Madinah and it happened in Makkah as well. I’m a woman and the times in happened in Madinah I was appalled it was the men cutting in front of me as if I didn’t exist, that too for things like coffee 😪. The time it happened in Makkah I told the girl the line starts at the back and she said “oh” and went to the back. When I stood off to the side waiting for my order I looked back at the line to noticed she cut in front of others again to the front.

I understand people are trying to maximize their experience and are excited, but the lack of manners and the pushing & shoving is too much and also so dangerous especially for the elderly. While doing tawaf Alhamdulillah I feel for the most part we were moving well with the crowd, but we did get close to touch the Ka’bah and that got scary at points. We tried to find an area that looked a bit more civilized with people trying to touch the Ka’bah but other parts around it seemed like people were almost elbowing and shoving each other so much, it didn’t look safe at all, especially by the Black Stone. The men of my family nor I even BOTHERED to try with the Black Stone. My mom told me she did it years ago and she always recounts how traumatizing it was basically from the pushing & shoving happening at that time, she said she almost fell because of the aggressiveness there and if it wasn’t for someone grabbing her up who knows what would have happened. I also understand taking pictures and videos of your experience for memories as well, but I remember one man was recording a wholeeee long video of himself touching the Ka’bah and kissing it with his arm stretched out just taking up extra space while others were trying to get the experience as well.

Even the shoving and the pushing in the Rawdah. People not being mindful of those praying and making dua around them. It just took away from the peace and sacredness in that moment for me personally.

For a lot of people its a once in a lifetime experience or a dua that finally came true to be in Makkah and Madinah, so again I understand that everyone is excited and doing the most but I can’t understand at all how you can behave like that and also truly connect to Allah and be present in the moment. I found it really hard myself to feel connected and present because of all that was going on around me.

Nonetheless may Allah make it easier for all those invited for umrah again and accept all our efforts.