A group of Christchurch mosque attack survivors and their families have returned home from a pilgrimage to Mecca, known as the Hajj.
Farid Ahmed covered many kilometres each day despite 46 degree heat. Photo: AFP
Sixty people were invited by the Saudi Arabian king but had not been able to attend since the attacks.
One of the travellers, Farid Ahmed, said it was a meaningful chance to honour the loved ones they had lost.
The group walked tens of kilometres a day in 46 degree heat.
Ahmed is in a wheelchair from a previous accident, and said it was the most physically strained he has been since the accident.
"When I arrived I went straight into the rituals, so I didn't have enough sleep.
"It was hard work. After my accident I did not do that much hard work in the last 24 years. But I had to do it, I was determined to do it," he said.
Ahmed lost his wife, Husna, who died saving children in the attack, and said he was motivated to finish the pilgrimage in her honour.
"I was carrying Husna, and whenever I faced some physical difficulties, I remembered that Husna did extreme sacrifices for me without any complaints," he said.
Pilgrims perform the farewell circumambulation to fulfil the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on July 12, 2022. Photo: AFP
After a week of physical exhaustion, Ahmed's stay in Mecca was extended by a week when he tested positive for Covid-19.
"I did my Hajj, and we did the test, and it was positive."
He remained in isolation for seven days before taking the 24-hour journey back to New Zealand.
Ahmed remains a leader at Al Noor mosque, and has gained international traction for expressing forgiveness to the mosque attacker.
Since the attack, he has written a book to celebrate the life of Husna, and in December last year he was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
He arrived home on Sunday evening, and will take time to recover - but despite the hardship, he was grateful for the experience.
"Physically it was hard, but mentally and emotionally it was very pleasant.
"Spiritually, it was priceless."
