A viral story of a Hajj pilgrim's faith, fate and dedication
One Libyan Hajj pilgrim's incredible story of faith, dedication, and destiny took place during what started as a regular pilgrimage to the holy city of Makkah. Most Viewed: Pilgrims can now obtain and activate eSIM upon arrival in Saudi Arabia, without visiting stores
A young Libyan named Amer Al Mahdi Mansour Al Gaddafi had planned to make the pilgrimage of Hajj this year, a deeply spiritual obligation that all Muslims try to fulfill once in their lives.
Trouble started at the airport, though, when Amer was held up at immigration because his last name, Al Gaddafi, was still highlighted in some databases more than a decade after the conflict in Libya ended.
Amer remained stopped at the counter even as his companions boarded the plane. The flight captain allegedly refused to listen to him and proceeded with the departure without him, citing concerns about safety and time restrictions.
On the other hand, Amer was immovable. "Unless it's toward Hajj, I will not move from here," he said. Recommend: MOH arranges 11 evacuation planes for Hajj 2025
Just a few moments after takeoff, the plane experienced a mechanical issue and had to turn around. Following some downtime for maintenance, it was ready to take off again, only to run into a second problem and require yet another return.
The captain reportedly made the following statement following the second emergency landing: "I swear I won't fly again unless Amer is with us on this plane." Passengers and crew reported that the captain made this statement.
Fast action by authorities cleared Amer for travel. With Amer on board, the flight took off without any issues on the third try.
People took to social media to share the story, with many seeing it as a manifestation of God's will and a response to prayer. The pilgrimage to Hajj was Amer's primary intention, he told local media afterwards. "And I believed that if it was written for me, no force could prevent it." Read: More than 10k WiFi hotspots for Hajj 2025
A viral story of a Hajj pilgrim's faith and fate