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Iraqi-German retraces historic route to Makkah in 300 days
Austria to Makkah: man on a mission
Thair Abud, 49, is on an 8,000km journey on foot because
of a promise he made to his sister battling cancer
JEDDAH — After 300 days, an Iraqi-German man finally completed his historic walking pilgrimage to the holy city of Makkah on May 17, capping a journey that covered 12 countries and 12,000 kilometers to help his sister’s brave fight against cancer.
Arriving at Jeddah in the early hours, Thair Abud trekked toward the main roads leading to the holy city and later checking in at the Anjum Hotel Makkah, which is owned and managed by the Abdul Latif Jameel Real Estate Investment Company.
Austria to Makkah: man on a mission
Thair Abud, 49, is on an 8,000km journey on foot because
of a promise he made to his sister battling cancer
JEDDAH — After 300 days, an Iraqi-German man finally completed his historic walking pilgrimage to the holy city of Makkah on May 17, capping a journey that covered 12 countries and 12,000 kilometers to help his sister’s brave fight against cancer.
Arriving at Jeddah in the early hours, Thair Abud trekked toward the main roads leading to the holy city and later checking in at the Anjum Hotel Makkah, which is owned and managed by the Abdul Latif Jameel Real Estate Investment Company.
Upon his arrival, Thair was cheered on by people who followed his journey from the start. Yousef Jameel, chairman of the Abdul Latif Jameel Real Estate Investment Company, praised the trekker’s efforts to fulfill his promise to his sister.
During his first day in Makkah, Abud performed his Umrah. He later met with senior officials of the hotel where he was given a special tour of the facilities.
Jameel said: “The completion of Thair’s journey demonstrates the strength of the human spirit and how you can achieve your goals by putting your mind and heart to it.
“We congratulate Thair on his arrival to the holy city of Makkah and may this exceptional journey serve as an inspiration for all.”
Born to an Iraqi father and a German mother, Abud’s first journey covered a walk that stretched from Austria to Santiago, Spain.
The effort was made in tribute to his sister, who was diagnosed with breast cancer. Upon fulfilling his first promise, his sibling narrated how she kept track of his journey and forgot about the pain she was suffering from.
Inspired by this, Abud then made a second offering — promising to walk all the way to Makkah if his sister could be healthy again.
His journey, documented on his blog entitled “On the Way Today", started from Graz, Austria, on July 25, 2014.
He followed an old pilgrimage route from Austria to Makkah and passed through Europe from mosque to mosque.
During his travels, he came across many strangers who sought to help him out along the way. Traveling at a walking pace of four kilometers per hour and carrying around 14 kilos of baggage each day, Abud has already used and replaced six pairs of shoes.
In his latest blog entry, he acknowledged everyone who provided support and assistance in making the walking pilgrimage a success.
During his first day in Makkah, Abud performed his Umrah. He later met with senior officials of the hotel where he was given a special tour of the facilities.
Jameel said: “The completion of Thair’s journey demonstrates the strength of the human spirit and how you can achieve your goals by putting your mind and heart to it.
“We congratulate Thair on his arrival to the holy city of Makkah and may this exceptional journey serve as an inspiration for all.”
Born to an Iraqi father and a German mother, Abud’s first journey covered a walk that stretched from Austria to Santiago, Spain.
The effort was made in tribute to his sister, who was diagnosed with breast cancer. Upon fulfilling his first promise, his sibling narrated how she kept track of his journey and forgot about the pain she was suffering from.
Inspired by this, Abud then made a second offering — promising to walk all the way to Makkah if his sister could be healthy again.
His journey, documented on his blog entitled “On the Way Today", started from Graz, Austria, on July 25, 2014.
He followed an old pilgrimage route from Austria to Makkah and passed through Europe from mosque to mosque.
During his travels, he came across many strangers who sought to help him out along the way. Traveling at a walking pace of four kilometers per hour and carrying around 14 kilos of baggage each day, Abud has already used and replaced six pairs of shoes.
In his latest blog entry, he acknowledged everyone who provided support and assistance in making the walking pilgrimage a success.
