ABRIEF HISTORY OF HAJJ DISRUPTIONS For centuries millions of Muslims have converged on Makkah for the annual Islamic pilgrimage - with a few notable exceptions Shiite Qarmatians attacked pilgrims ‘on 8th day of the Haj, ending it prematurely and forcing:its suspension for 10 years Egyptians could not afford to perform the Haj owing to high cost of livinggin their country Halj suspended after disease grips Makkah, claiming the lives of many pilgrims No pilgrims from the East or Egypt came for the Halj Fear and insecurity prevented Iraqi, Egyptian, Central Asian and northern Arabian Muslims from performing the Hajj Egyptians could not perform the Halj owing to conflict amid a Kurdish commanders attempts to expand his rule over their country Conflicts across the Muslim world Partial suspension of the Halj prevented pigrims from reaching meant only few iraqi piers perform the Halj could react 1798-1801 No people from outside the Hijaz Napoleon's Egypt and Syria region could perform the Halj owing campaigns meant many Muslims. to tension and conflict could not perform the Halj due to unsafe Makkah routes