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Pilgrims during rami al-Jamarat
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By
Sohby Mujahid, Mohammad Sadiq, IOL Staff
CAIRO,
January 21 (IslamOnline.net) - An Egyptian scholar put forward a
couple of creative ideas to alleviate the too much crowding in hajj
season, suggesting to make some of the rituals automated.
Izzat
Attiyah, professor of Hadith in Al-Azhar University, recommended
Tuesday, January 20, that rami al-jamarat (throwing the pebbles) be
done by special pistols and Tawaf
(circumambulation around the Ka'bah) take place far from the sacred
house.
In
an interview with IslamOnline.net, Attiyah proposed that one out of
every ten pilgrims would be delegated to throw pebbles on behalf of
the rest.
Jamrah
is a pillar that the pilgrim pelts with pebbles. There are three
such pillars : Al-Jamrah Al-Ula [The first stone
pillar], Al-Jamrah Al-Wusta [The second (middle) stone pillar],
and Jamrah Al-`Aqabah [The last and biggest stone pillar].
The
Egyptian scholar further said that Saudi Arabia should build a
multi-storey buildings in the often overcrowded Mena to accommodate
thousands of pilgrims.
He
also called for making new roads leading to the chock-full Al-Haram
(the Sacred Precinct) and expanding the path between Safa and Marwah
to make Sa`i
easier.
Attiyah
hoped these ideas will add to a set of steps and measures introduced
by Saudi authorities for a comfortable and easy hajj.
Commenting
on the, Egypt's Mufti Ali Goma said the new set of ideas still need to
be discussed thoroughly.
He
said, in principle, there must be a dire need to resort to the
innovative ways in order not to strip hajj of its spirituality.
More
Ideas
Ali
Sobh, another Egyptian scholar and professor in Al-Azhar University,
also suggested that the throwing of pebbles would take place at
different intervals during the day and not be limited only to the
midday-to-sunset timing.
He
added it is permissible for pilgrims to throw the pebbles from dawn to
midnight, pointing out that a limited time could lead to stampedes and
deaths.
Sobh
urged Saudi authorities to deploy more guides and police to meet the
demands of the expected two million pilgrims this year.
He
supported building new multi-storey buildings in Mena to avoid the
spread of contagious diseases.
