Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 4: After decades of yearning, a 75-year-old Srinagar man who stood at the Hajj House in Bemina year after year to bid farewell to pilgrims in awe and hope is finally embarking on the holy pilgrimage himself.
His long wait turned into reality today after a video of his emotional plea went viral on social media, drawing overwhelming public support.
Abdul Rehman, who lives alone, was filmed tearfully telling reporters at the Hajj House that he had been praying for decades for the chance to perform the sacred pilgrimage but could never afford it.
He was one among many with moist eyes at the Hajj House this morning, but his tears were different-he had only one wish: to one day embark on the Hajj pilgrimage.
“Every year, I came here to bid farewell to pilgrims and ask them to pray for me. I have no family-just this hope,” he said.
The video quickly gained traction on social media, sparking widespread sympathy.
Many called it deeply moving, and several individuals expressed their willingness to sponsor his Umrah.
Among the first to respond was Dr Jan Mushtaq Khan, a physician from Kupwara, who pledged to sponsor Rehman’s pilgrimage to Mekka.
“I couldn’t hold back my tears after watching the video. I immediately offered to cover all expenses and make the necessary arrangements,” Dr Khan said.
Within hours, the old man’s decades-long dream had come true. On the very morning he had arrived to see off others, he was informed that his own Hajj journey had been secured.
Dr Khan said his brother had shared the video with him and asked him to verify the case. “Once the local mosque committees confirmed it, I didn’t think twice,” he said.
A visibly moved Abdul Rehman expressed gratitude to everyone who stepped forward to help. “May Allah grant the opportunity of Hajj to all those who dream of it. Today, I no longer feel alone,” he said.
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