The Hajj and Religious Politics after 1905 145of dirty and sloppy Russians” coming from Jerusalem, who strolled off the ship
and into the city, while Muslims were all forced to undergo quarantine in the
hajj complex, even the “gentlemen” and first-class passengers.^100 In this respect,
Saidazimbaev’s plan had unintended consequences for Russia. By centralizing
much of the hajj traffic through the single port of Odessa, his plan inadver-
tently revealed to Muslims the disparity between how they were treated in com-
parison to Orthodox pilgrims, which generated new complaints about
discriminatory policies toward the hajj. Ironically, an approach intended to
demonstrate an enlightened accommodation with the empire’s Muslims had
brought into sharp focus the regime’s radically different treatment of its Ortho-
dox Christian and Muslim subjects, and gave rise to complaints about state-
sponsored prejudice against Muslims.
Muslims used newspapers to air their grievances about the Odessa hajj com-
plex and their treatment there, and to redirect Muslims away from it. Va g i t
published several telegrams sent by pilgrims out in the field, like this one from
mid-October 1908, when many pilgrims were on their way to the Black Sea:
“We ask you to post a note to pilgrims that currently in Sevastopol there are
ships waiting to depart for Yanbu and Jeddah. These are well-equipped ships
that also carry returning passengers. One ship is leaving October 25, a second
on November 15, and a third on November 20. We ask people not to believe it if
they are told at train stations or by agents of Saidazimbaev that it is impossible
to leave from Sevastopol (there are rumors that Saidazimbaev has dispatched a
bunch of agents to ensure that pilgrims travel through Odessa and not Sevasto-
pol). In Sevastopol pilgrims do not experience any oppression.”^101
These letters reveal Muslims mobilizing their newfound political representa-
tion in the government to demand change. Many ended with a plea to Muslim
deputies in the Duma to “listen to the voices of pilgrims” and send someone to
Odessa to save them from Saidazimbaev.^102 “Respected Duma members!” wrote
one, “Give some attention to the situation of your coreligionists. . . . Rescuing us
from this situation is the duty of Duma deputies. With tears in their eyes, pil-
grims are addressing you.”^103 “We are asking the Muslim faction of the Duma to
conduct an investigation into this sad matter, to liberate the unfortunate pil-
grims from this situation, and to tear them from the hands of several exploiters,
and to improve the situation for tens of thousands of pilgrims.”^104
With a full-blown scandal developing in the press, and a bitter dispute erupt-
ing between ROPiT and the Volunteer Fleet, an outraged Stolypin wrote to Tol-
machev in November to stop all use of force against hajj pilgrims in the city. He
reprimanded him for introducing his instructions at a time when there was “no