Forging a Russian Hajj Route 107concentrate pilgrims into large groups that would depart at scheduled times, to
make the hajj easier for the state to manage. At the same time, these Muslim
leaders would help ensure that pilgrims made the hajj legally, by getting pass-
ports, and adhering to their intended routes. This proposed measure is interest-
ing for what it reveals about the ministry’s reluctance to put Russian officials in
charge of the hajj and hajj pilgrims, and its goal instead to recruit Muslim lead-
ers to put a Muslim face on a state project. Correspondence suggests complex
reasons for this plan: Russian officials did not want to anger Muslims by ap-
pearing to intervene in their rituals, nor did they want to upset the Russian
Orthodox Church by appearing to favor Islam and Muslim pilgrims.
Finally, Pleve called for increased and coordinated involvement of Russian of-
ficials across the empire in the organization of the hajj. This activity was to take
place to some extent behind the scenes—again, to avoid the appearance of gov-
ernment intervention. To this end, Russian governors and officials under their
authority were to arrange food, lodging, and medical aid for hajj pilgrims. They
were also to coordinate with one another to ease pilgrims’ travel by forwarding
lists of pilgrims to officials in other regions, to forewarn them of their arrival and
allow them time to arrange provisions and services. They were also to contact
railroad authorities and alert them to the impending arrival of crowds.^62
Pleve’s plan was ambitious if also vague on how exactly it could be imple-
mented. How would Muslim leaders be identified? Why would they perform
these duties on behalf of the government? And how exactly could pilgrims be
made to travel the routes dictated by the government? Pleve’s proposed rules
sparked immediate resistance from all parts of the government. The members
of KOMOCHUM rejected them outright, on the grounds that they would stim-
ulate greater hajj traffic and increase the sanitary threat to the empire.^63 The
minister of justice, for his part, objected that the rules violated existing pass-
port laws, and so also rejected them.^64
The strongest objections came from Russia’s foreign minister, V. N. Lams-
dorf. He objected that Pleve’s proposed rules amounted to government spon-
sorship of the hajj, and special “privileges” for Muslims. He dissented that the
measures, which basically aimed to make travel through Russian lands less ex-
pensive and easier with the support of special services, might give Muslims the
“false impression” that the government wanted to sponsor and encourage the
hajj. He also objected that Pleve’s rules went beyond simple sanitary issues to
offer Muslim pilgrims privileges that not even Orthodox pilgrims enjoyed. Ex-
pressing a concern that was widespread among officials, if not universal, the
minister objected to any measures that might increase the numbers of hajj