Deaths in Mina - over 350 Shaheed (Martyred)

[eat-halal guy]

:inna:


MECCA, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - At least 50 people were killed in crowding during the stoning ritual at the haj pilgrimage on Thursday, witnesses said.

Reuters journalists counted at least 50 bodies lined up on the ground and covered in white shrouds. Some were being placed on lorries by medics. A Saudi Interior Ministry source told Reuters an unknown number of people had been killed in the crush at the northern entrance of Mena's Jamarat Bridge.

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-01-12T124228Z_01_EIC245333_RTRUKOC_0_US-HAJ-SAUDI-CRUSH.xml&archived=False

[eat-halal guy]

Deadly crush kills Hajj pilgrims

Thursday 12 January 2006, 18:06 Makka Time, 15:06 GMT


Dozens of pilgrims are reported to have died following a stampede at the stoning ritual on the final day of the Hajj, with at least one hospital official saying more than 200 have been killed.

The Saudi Interior Ministry has said an unknown number of people died in the incident, whilst at least one medical official said the number of dead could top 300.



Following the crush at the northern entrance of Mina’s Jamarat Bridge an eyewitness, who gave his name only as Saeed told Al Jazeera: "It was very difficult to reach the first Jamarat-throwing and I saw bodies lined up on the ground. One pilgrim has lost his family among the crowd."



Police made a circle around the place trying to get people out, he added. The incident took place at noon prayer.



One Egyptian pilgrim on the scene told AFP: "I saw pilgrims falling under the feet of other pilgrims. I don't know how many people died, but I know that it is in the dozens."


Dangerous ritual

"I saw pilgrims falling under the feet of other pilgrims"

Egyptian eyewitness
The stoning of Satan is the riskiest episode of the Hajj as pilgrims jostle to ensure their pebbles touch the pillar. Weaker people risk being trampled on by the masses.

A total of 251 people were trampled to death in the 2004 Hajj as people panicked during the ritual stoning.

The stoning ritual, which is spread out over three days, marks the final part of the Hajj pilgrimage for the more than two million Muslims who have flocked to Makka from around the world.



In 2003, 14 pilgrims, including six women, were killed in a stampede during the first day of the stoning ritual, and 35 died in 2001, while in 1998 the Hajj saw 118 killed and more than 180 hurt at Mina.

The deadliest toll of the pilgrimage was in July 1990 when 1426 pilgrims were trampled or asphyxiated to death in a stampede in a tunnel, also in Mina.

Following a journey made by Prophet Mohammed over 1400 years ago, pilgrims flocked to the plain of Arafat, south of Mina, on Monday to pray for mercy in the central rite of the Hajj.

Five pillars


Before coming to Mina on Tuesday, many spent the night in the sacred site of Muzdalifah where they collected pebbles for the stoning ritual.

The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and a once-in-a-life time duty for all Muslims physically able to undertake it.

The latest tragedy comes days after 76 people were killed when a hostel in the heart of Makka collapsed last week.

Almost 60,000 security, health, emergency and other personnel were involved in organising this year's Hajj, trying to prevent the deadly incidents that have marred it in recent years from being repeated.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/4569290C-20B7-4CFA-8789-710E04D550A0.htm

[ursis]

Death Toll Rises to 345.

:inna:
May Almighty Allah grant all those that passed away, the status of Shuhadaa. (ameen)

[TapeMonkey]

Isn't one who dies on the way to hajj or during is considered a shaheed (at least legalistically--Allahu alim who Allah considers as such)? If that's the case, would it be considered bad not to feel "bad" for those who died? I mean, we all die, and do die that way... wouldn't you make du'a for that to be your end (as opposed to others)? Seems to me like those deaths are a blessing (better than dying another way). If it makes me a shaheed, I'll take being crushed on hajj anyday.

(Not that you shouldn't do everything you can to minimize such deaths--but in the end, it's Allah who chooses for us who is shaheed and who is not).

[eat-halal guy]

Ameen.


The hajj has become known for its deadly stampedes. Two years ago, at least 250 pilgrims were left dead, and 1,426 perished in 1990.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/01/12/hajj060112.html


:alhamd: my parents and I were there in 1990, in Mina (where the stampede happened back then as well), and didn't even know what had happened until the next day when my dad saw a newspaper lying on the ground.

Meanwhile, family members back home were (naturally) very worried and trying to get in touch.

[Arya]

death toll has risen to 345. inna lilahi wa inna ilayhi raji'oun

what causes this sort of stampede??? do people push and shove there :(

[Fatima M1]

inna lilahi wa inna ilayhi raji'oun

on bbc news it says some people fell over luggage, and because of the panic eveyrone started pushing and shoving. :(

may Allah grant them all jannah

[Kaaju Barfi]

:salams:

:inna:

May Allah accep their hajj and be granted Firdaus . Ameen.

:ws:

[basidd1]

:inna:

[Hamood]

:inna:

My father-in-law was right there when this stampede happened. He was lucky alhumdullilah to get out of there safe and sound and complete his hajj.

On 15th Dhul-hijjah this Jamarat bridge will be demolished and :insh: a 4 story bridge will be built to improve the situation in the coming hajj. My wife's uncle is working on that project. Indeed he's a very luck person.

[Kareem]

innalilahi wa inna ilayhi raji`oon

[bintashraf]

Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajioon. May Allah grant them all a place in jannatul fidous and grant them a place among the shuhada. Ameen

[eTeacher]

May Allah grant them all Paradise. Such lucky people.

What I fail to get is how in the world did a bus get so close to the jamarat? Especially on the last day! I find it hard to believe that the luggage fell off a bus. Well whatever....

Allahummarzukna shahadatan fee sabeelik
Wa mawtan fee baladi rasoolik
Wa dafnan fee baqee'il garqad

Aameen Ya Rabbal 'Aalameen

[nayyerjigar]

:salam:

The khateeb today at the masjid I went was saying that there were eyewitness accounts that the police were trying to clear the way for a official motorcade to the Jamarat area. And that contributed a lot to the deaths.

Has anyone heard something similar?

May Allah taala exalt the ranks of these shuhada and give sabr to their relatives.

:salam:

[TheChristian]

I really find this disturbing.

Hajj needs to be regulated so such things are avoided. I find it ridiculous and stupid that this happens many years upon years. Is doing your Hajj more important than the persons life? People there need to stop trying to get in the front and push their way. I find this contradictory to even doing the Hajj.

[Nafeesa]

ppl push n shove like as if their lives depend on it, how can ppl who are so close to Allah and are united with millions of other muslims be so damn inconsiderate, i know it sounds harsh but some ppl need to just RELAX

there is no reason why they have to ALLLLLL do the stoning ritual at the same time, why cant they wait untill later on in the day or night even to do it where there are gonna be less ppl. our local shaikh (shaikh shuaib from masjid umar sheffield) takes ppl over every year and waits for the evening time to do the stoning. why dont ppl use their sense?

and also ppl i know who have been to hajj have sed that half of the ppl who get crushed to death n stuff actually bring it on themselves because they want to die in hajj so badly that they put themselves in a position where they will die, which is proper bad, but for those who genuinly got crushed may Allah swt grant them the status of martyrs. ameen

one more thing, even in umrah ppl push and shove like no mans business, ppl push their way past u just to get closest to the kaba, and push their way past the ques n everything to get into masjid nabi (the prophet saws tomb side) where is their islamic ettiquet? it proper pees me off man.

[TheChristian]

how can ppl who are so close to Allah and are united with millions of other muslims be so damn inconsiderate

You are totally right.

[assalamu alaikum]

Inna lilahee wa inna ilaihee rajioon. InshaAllah Allah(swt) will grant them shuhadah.
I just hope the money they're going to spend on safety pays off &theres no tragedy during next years Hajj.

[daisily]

If these pilgrims are indeed the 'lucky ones'; then my sympathy is with their families left behind. I read this editorial today; is what it says true about the stoning not being a necessary part of hajj?

"Sunday, January 15, 2006

EDITORIAL: Rationalise the stoning ritual during Hajj

During the ritual of rami (stoning the three satans) in Hajj, a vicious stampede killed 362 pilgrims, 44 of them from Pakistan. According to details, some pilgrims tripped over baggage that had been dropped as they rushed to carry out the stoning ritual, causing a wave of people to trip and be crushed by those behind them.

This is not the first time that pilgrims have been killed in a stampede while performing rami, where they throw stones at the jamarat (three satans) as part of Hajj. The worst incident was in 1990 when over 1,000 pilgrims were killed and nearly as many injured in the stampede. Since then pilgrims die in the hundreds every year while stoning the jamarat. Clearly, this yearly tragedy is not inevitable and something must be done to avoid it.

First, there is need to understand the meaning of farz (compulsory) in hajj. Most exegeses, scholarly writings and traditions agree that rami is not a compulsory ritual of Hajj without which the pilgrimage would not be complete. Other rituals in Hajj are important but they can be rationalised. A good example of this was the rationalisation of the old practice of kissing the hajr-e-aswad (the black stone). When there were fewer pilgrims, people would go up to the stone and kiss it or hold it. But then the numbers began to swell and the struggle to go up to the stone and physically touch it began to cause injuries. There was also a feeling that the practice bordered on idolatry. The Saudi government then decided to rationalise it. Pilgrims were stopped from actually touching the stone. They could raise their hands towards the stone and that would be considered the equivalent of touching it.

A similar rationalisation of the ritual of rami is needed if we are to put an end to this yearly tragedy. There is absolutely no need to accept it as inevitable. The Saudi government should create a gangway or a platform onto which the pilgrims can walk and raise their hands towards the jamarat or simulate the act of throwing a stone and then move on. They could be made to pass by in files, in a disciplined fashion to avoid any rush that could result in a stampede.

Stampedes always begin at the back of a crowd with those behind trying to push their way forward. One man tripping and falling creates a wave that can be deadly. For years the act of stoning has become a dramatic highpoint of the pilgrimage. It is this dramatic aspect that forces most pilgrims to perform rami regardless of the consequences. This is what then causes the stampede with pilgrims at the back trying to push their way in so that they can throw stones at the jamarat.

However, as we have noted, rami is not compulsory and it needs to be rationalised in order to save precious lives. It is amazing that nothing has been done so far to avoid the tragedy that befalls the pilgrims every year and mars the pilgrimage itself. *



taken from: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk

[Nafeesa]

why dnt ppl just use their sense and go later on when the crowds get smaller, duhhhhhhhhhhhh

[ze leetle elper]

Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,

To Allah we belong and to Him is our final return.

Some of us were intending to be at the Jamarat at the time of the 'stampede.' Alhamdullillah we decided to wait until later in the afternoon to go.

Personally I don't think making a bigger or better bridge will make much difference. The bridge is fine as it is and fulfils the purpose. Nor does the time you go to the jamarat matter since their is no such thing as a 'quiet' time. You will always encounter a crowd.

On the 3rd day, which is the last day for many, people have all their luggage with them so they can stone and depart straight away. This is inevitable. You cannot stop people bringing their luggage with them. Some have tents over an hour walk away and its very difficult for elderly and large groups to go back for luggage and come back once again to depart.

The Saudi's need to stop blaming pilgrim's bags, buses (which is quite funny since there is no room to say boo to a goose let alone a bus stand at the bridge), and any other 3rd party they can think of.

I failed to see a single official practising crowd control. There is one way onto the bridge and another way off. The problem is when large groups gather waiting for group members/ family etc., and there is no official standing there moving them on. More officers are needed to be noting the crowd and, if necessary, permitting people to enter in smaller groups to avoid a large surge.

And as always, we all need to be educated more in our home countries, about Hajj, the rights of Hajj and adab with our fellow brothers and sisters inshaAllah.