This aircraft was simply not ready to fly without this one particular man—as if the plane itself kept repeatedly refusing to take off until Amer Al-Gaddafi was on board.

It was May 2025. At the airport in the Sabha province of Libya, a group of pilgrims was preparing to depart for Hajj. At 12:00 PM, Amer Al-Mahdi Mansour Al-Gaddafi, filled with enthusiasm, arrived at the departure hall alongside this group of pilgrims bound for Saudi Arabia. Little did he know how unforgettable this day was about to become for him!

When Amer reached the boarding gate, he was stopped. The reason given was the surname 'Al-Gaddafi' in his name, based on which security officials refused to grant him immediate clearance. Due to the 'Al-Gaddafi' suffix, the security clearance process took extra time. Meanwhile, all the other pilgrims boarded the plane, and the doors were closed. By the time Amer’s clearance was finalized, the pilot refused to reopen the gate, and the plane took off.

Amer was left standing at the airport's departure gate. What would an ordinary person do in such a situation? Go home? Try again next year? Or at least step out of the airport? But Amer said in an interview:

"Inshallah (If God wills), this plane will not leave. Inshallah, I will board it. My intention is for Hajj."

The officials tried to reason with him and persuade him to leave, but Amer refused to vacate the airport. He remained standing right there.

Shortly after, an announcement echoed through the loudspeakers: "The flight that just took off is returning due to a technical snag." Within moments, the plane landed back at the airport. The crew requested the pilot to allow Amer to board, as his security clearance was fully completed by then. However, the pilot refused, citing logistical difficulties, and the plane took off once again.

But barely a few minutes had passed when another technical fault forced the aircraft to return for a second time. This time, the pilot uttered the words that quickly went viral across the world:

"Wallah (by God), I swear this plane will not fly without Amer Al-Gaddafi."

The very pilot who had refused to open the doors just a few hours earlier was now announcing that the flight would not leave until Amer was on board. The paperwork was completed immediately, and Amer Al-Mahdi Al-Gaddafi finally boarded the plane with his group. This time, the aircraft reached Saudi Arabia smoothly without any technical issues.

A Journey of Faith and Certainty

Upon arriving in Saudi Arabia, Amer recorded a video that was viewed by millions. Speaking to the Egyptian newspaper Youm7, he said:

"Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God), O my Lord, You blessed me with the opportunity to perform Hajj this year. What happened was not a miracle. It is the grace of Allah that He had written Hajj for me this year."

He also prayed to Almighty Allah for the betterment of conditions and unity in Libya.

Later, he spoke to his family via a video call, reassuring them that he was doing well and heading towards Mina. He also sent a message to the media and social media users, urging everyone to verify any news before sharing it so that his family would not worry needlessly.

Amer narrated his story himself in a video and also took memorable photographs with the airport security personnel, who ultimately sent him off with prayers and blessings.

Quoting a social media user, a news platform wrote: "Amer, what is it between you and Allah? When your intention called out, did the heavens answer 'Labaik'?"

Hajj by the Numbers

According to official statistics, a total of 1,673,230 pilgrims performed the obligation of Hajj last year in 2025.