A Spanish retired teacher who converted to Islam and later rode on horseback more than 6,000 kilometers (over 3,725 miles) from Spain to Mecca to fulfill a promise to God said the journey left him feeling completely free and at peace.

According to Spain’s Union de Comunidades Islamicas de Espana (UCIDE), about 40,000 Spaniards have converted to Islam over the past 30 to 40 years. Rafael Hernandez Mancha, one of them, spoke about his spiritual journey after embracing Islam 38 years ago and about what many considered an "impossible” pilgrimage from Andalusia to Mecca on horseback.

Rafael Hernandez made his remarks at a mosque in Almonaster la Real, considered the first mosque built in rural Spain and dating back to the ninth century. It was there that he both recited the Islamic declaration of faith and, on Oct. 13, 2024, set out for Mecca on horseback.

Spiritual journey rooted in Andalusia

Born and raised in Andalusia, regarded as sacred land by Muslims because of the Islamic period in the region from 711 to 1492, the 62-year-old said he first encountered Islam at age 24 after reading the Quran. At the time, he was preparing for university entrance exams to become a geography teacher and researching books and family traditions when he began learning about Islam.

"Becoming a Muslim means giving meaning to life,” said Hernandez, who adopted the name Abdellah after converting but did not make any official changes to his identity. "It means acting correctly and having rules that help you choose between right and wrong.”

He said he was inspired by the journey of two Andalusian Muslims, Mohammed del Corral and Omar Paton, who traveled on horseback from Spain to Mecca between 1491 and 1495. Hernandez said he felt deep happiness in fulfilling a promise he had made to God 36 years earlier to undertake the same journey.

He set out from Almonaster la Real with two friends who also owned horses, accompanied by a support vehicle to assist them in case of difficulties. Over eight months, they crossed 12 countries.

"It was a journey full of miracles, spiritually intense, exciting and incredible,” Hernandez said. "We set out without money but with faith that, with God’s help, we would reach our destination.”

He noted that no one had made the trip on horseback from Spain to Mecca in 533 years. The last to do so were del Corral and Paton in 1491, who also passed through Türkiye, then the Ottoman Empire, and received help there.

"It was thrilling and life-changing,” he said. "Going on Hajj is already a great excitement. But setting out from here on horseback and, at the end, touching the Kaaba, that is something deeply emotional and intense. After this journey, you begin to see life differently.”

Hernandez said promised financial assistance fell through just a week before departure. He and his two companions each began the journey with 1,500 euros (around $1,760).

Their money ran out before they even left Spain, he said, recalling that Moroccan day laborers in the town of Buñuel collected 2,000 euros among themselves to support them. He also expressed gratitude for the help they received in Toulouse, France; Verona, Italy; Bosnia-Herzegovina; Serbia’s Sandzak region; Türkiye and Jordan.

"There are so many unforgettable memories in Türkiye,” Hernandez said, noting that they entered the country on the first day of Ramadan last year.

He recounted a moment in the southern province of Adana when they were worried about finding fresh grass for their horses. As they were discussing the problem, an elderly man approached in his car, calling out, "Spaniards! Spaniards!” Apparently recognizing them from television, the man later stopped them again and led them to his own green wheat field, inviting them to let the horses feed.

"In Spain, you would never think of driving horses into a wheat field. It would almost be considered a crime,” Hernandez said. "But he helped us.”

He described the entire pilgrimage as filled with miracles. "God helped us throughout the journey,” he said.

Hernandez also spoke warmly about Bosnia-Herzegovina. "With apologies to everyone else, Bosnia is the most beautiful country in the world,” he said. "I hope the Turks are not offended, but Bosnians are truly extraordinary people. They went above and beyond for us.”

After five weeks in Türkiye, the group continued through Syria and then on to Jordan and Saudi Arabia, completing their pilgrimage in Mecca. They later sold their horses and flew back to Spain.

"I kept my promise to God,” Hernandez said. "In my bond with God and within myself, I reached complete peace. Of course, I still have projects related to my family and myself, but now I feel free. I have done what I needed to do in life. I believe I can die in peace.”

He also reflected on childhood memories, recalling how his father used to tell him to wash his face, mouth and nose three times carefully, a practice he later recognized as similar to Islamic ablution. He said the Islamic period of Andalusia had contributed far more to Spain than many assume.

"The past of these lands is peace, coexistence and light,” he said. "I don’t think there has been a land in the history of the Muslim community as beautiful, rich and progressive as Andalusia. During the Inquisition, people here were forced to forget Islam to survive. But when you look deeper, the roots of much of the Spanish people are Muslim. For me, this is like reclaiming our past.”

Hernandez added that he will travel to Istanbul on March 10 to speak about his horseback pilgrimage.