|
Final Day Of Hajj As Death Toll Hits 40
MINA, Saudi Arabia, March 7 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - As rain fell in Mecca, rare in the region, hundreds of thousands of Muslims stoned the devil at Mina for a third day amid heightened security on Wednesday, the close of the hajj pilgrimage, as the death toll from a stampede during the ritual climbed to 40.
"I thank God that I have been able to carry out the hajj this year, even though I am sad for those who died," Mohammad Anwar, a 55-year-old Egyptian, said before a final visit to the holy Kaaba stone in Mecca's Grand Mosque.
"The number of pilgrims killed in the incident was around 40," Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz told Okaz newspaper.
Health Minister Osama bin Abdul Majid Shobopkchi said most of the victims of Monday's stampede at Mina, outside the holy city of Mecca, were from Asian countries, Egypt and Turkey.
Out of a total of 179 pilgrims from 35 countries injured in the stampede, 25 were still in hospital with fractures and bruising, the health minister told Al-Watan newspaper.
The official death toll stood at 35, including 23 women, on the day of the tragedy when the pilgrims were trampled to death as a huge crowd surged forward on Mina's Jamarat bridge to stone three pillars symbolizing the devil.
Seven Pakistanis, five Turks, four Indonesians, four Egyptians, two Indians and an Ethiopian woman were among the dead, according to the Saudi press.
To cries of "Allah Akbar" (God is great), 1.8 million Muslims from 160 countries took part in the stoning ritual ahead of prayers at the Grand Mosque where pilgrims circle the Kaaba seven times.
Most of the pilgrims were set to complete the hajj later the same day, although religious authorities said the stoning could carry on until early Thursday to avoid another crush.
Saudi authorities have posted 2,000 policemen on and around the bridge leading to the Mina pillars, while helicopters hovered overhead to help avoid bottlenecks.
The pilgrims were shepherded through the Mina stoning area in groups of 200,000 each hour, but authorities were still overwhelmed at times by the huge numbers.
As laid down by Islam, the faithful have to approach three giant pillars representing the devil so as to be sure to hit the mark with stones.
After returning from Mina, pilgrims return to the Grand Mosque to circle the Kaaba seven times.
Special forces were also deployed for the first time, as large crowds were still lined up by late afternoon when rain fell on Mina.
Eager to be among the first in line and complete the hajj, many pilgrims had slept and cooked outdoors near the site overnight Tuesday, in violation of regulations.
Prince Nayef blamed the stampede on a "lack of organization" by Saudi authorities and the different groups in charge of pilgrims, as well as on Mecca residents who joined in unannounced.
But according to civil defense chief Saad bin Abdullah al-Tuwaijri, the death toll "would have been much higher had it not been for the swift intervention of Saudi security forces."
Monday's tragedy was the third in a decade to mar the ritual at Mina. In 1998, 118 pilgrims were killed, while 270 pilgrims died four years earlier in another stampede.
After the 1998 disaster, Saudi religious authorities extended the stone throwing to cover the entire day rather than the previous custom of completing the ritual before midday prayers at the Grand Mosque.
The stoning ritual starts a day after the climax of the pilgrimage at Mount Arafat, where the faithful prayed Sunday for forgiveness at the site of Prophet Mohammad's (SAW) last sermon 14 centuries ago.
From Mecca, many pilgrims will head to Medina, about 447 kilometers (277 miles) north of Mecca, to visit Islam's second holiest shrine, the tomb of the Prophet Mohammad (SAW).
Like Muslims around the world, the pilgrims have also slaughtered sheep, goats, camels and cattle since Monday's start of the feast of Eid Al-Adha (the sacrifice), marking the Prophet Ibrahim's (AS) willingness to sacrifice his son, Ismail, for God.
|
