At least 345 Muslims die in Hajj stampede.

[Blackleaf]

Hundreds killed in hajj stampede

Mark Oliver and agencies
Thursday January 12, 2006

The bodies of hajj pilgrims are laid out following a stampede at the end of a symbolic stoning ritual in Mina, Saudi Arabia, in which more than 350 people were killed. Photograph: Al Arabiya/AP



At least 345 people were killed and 1,000 injured in a stampede on the final day of a symbolic stoning ritual at the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca today.

It happened as tens of thousands of pilgrims filed past al-Jamarat, three large stone walls representing the devil that are pelted with stones by the pilgrims so they can purge themselves of sin.

General Mansour al-Turki, an interior ministry spokesman, said 345 people had been killed, and a Red Crescent doctor at the scene put the number of injured at around 1,000.

Mr Turki said the tragedy had been sparked when pieces of luggage fell from moving buses and pilgrims apparently tripped over them as they rushed towards the stone walls.
There have been deadly stampedes at the hajj in previous years. In 1990, 1,426 people died, and a further 244 pilgrims were killed in February 2004.

Today's happened despite attempts to increase safety and improve access to the al-Jamarat site, where the tall obelisks that had represented the devil have been rebuilt as stone walls 26 metres long.

The new walls allow a much larger number of people to pelt them with pebbles at one time, and a religious fatwa has extended the hours permitted for the ritual.

Access at the entrance to the site - at which all 2.5 million pilgrims must pass and move from pillar to pillar to throw their stones before leaving - had been improved.

Authorities had also widened the walkways to almost 80 metres in an attempt to reduce congestion.

Live television footage today showed pilgrims continuing to mass around the al-Jamarat walls despite the earlier tragedy.

Today is the fifth day of the hajj, which has attracted more than two million pilgrims from almost 180 countries to the holy city of Mecca, the capital of the Makkah province.

The stoning ritual is one of the last events of the pilgrimage to Islam's holiest sites, which able-bodied Muslims with sufficient financial means are required by their faith to do at least once in their lifetime.

Many pilgrims had already finished the stoning ritual today and gone back to Mecca to carry out a farewell circuit of the Kaaba, the black stone cube Muslims face during daily prayers.

Saudi Arabian authorities deployed 60,000 security staff this year in an attempt to avoid accidents or attacks by Islamist militants fighting the Saudi royals.


guardian.co.uk

 

[I think not]

Religion, the opiate of the masses.

 

[Semperfi_dani]

RE: At least 345 Muslims

See the problem is that although Muslims are required to attend the Haaj once in their lifetime, its considered more "holy" to attend during the Eid or the Ramadan. So what happens is that instead of it being spread out throughout the year, you get masses at one time. Added to that, but its freaking hot, there are a lack of adequate supplies like water and add to that the thousands and thousands of people who attend more than once. Its one thing to attend, but in theory, your sins are abolished once you make the visit, and after you go, you are required to life your life without sin (which is why you have so many older moslems who attend). So those that have attended before, should be discouraged from doing the stoning...after all..how many times can you absolve your sins?

 

[jimmoyer]

Today's happened despite attempts to increase safety and improve access to the al-Jamarat site, where the tall obelisks that had represented the devil have been rebuilt as stone walls 26 metres long.

The new walls allow a much larger number of people to pelt them with pebbles at one time, and a religious fatwa has extended the hours permitted for the ritual.

-------------from Bleakleaf's post of Guardian article------


It is interesting that for practical reasons,
the Muslim authorities had to make the Devil
bigger, as in making the obelisks representing the
Devil bigger.

What irony !

Especially when that irony comes from the practical
reason of allowing more target area for a larger
group to throw stones.

This isn't the only religion where practicality
creates massive irony.

 

[nitzomoe]

Re: RE: At least 345 Muslims

See the problem is that although Muslims are required to attend the Haaj once in their lifetime, its considered more "holy" to attend during the Eid or the Ramadan. So what happens is that instead of it being spread out throughout the year, you get masses at one time. Added to that, but its freaking hot, there are a lack of adequate supplies like water and add to that the thousands and thousands of people who attend more than once. Its one thing to attend, but in theory, your sins are abolished once you make the visit, and after you go, you are required to life your life without sin (which is why you have so many older moslems who attend). So those that have attended before, should be discouraged from doing the stoning...after all..how many times can you absolve your sins?

u do realise that hajj can only be performed before Eid rite?

The problem was that a lot of pilgrims bring all the luaggae with them wherever they go which adds to the crowding that occurs. this si what started the actual icnident ans bagge fell and was crushed. ALso those wahhabi'ists have said that the pilgrims can only go to this part of their trip at midday isntead of teh whole day, so what happens is that a bottleneck occurs and a small accident can lead to a stampede.

 

[Semperfi_dani]

RE: At least 345 Muslims

Thanks..i did not know that the Haaj can only be done during the Eid..why is that? Should it matter when they do their pilgramage. I don't know if i recall the Qu'aran mentioning that it can only be done during the Eid...or is that something that came out after?

Well luggage other than the most smallest of totes should be banned..but there has to be an easier way to do this.

 

[Finder]

Also you only have to go once, but many go more then once, because they see it as being better. *sighs* I hear the government might try to enforce this one time rule with them to avoid deaths. Not sure if it would work, but I think they should really try and spend a lot of money on progressive Islamic education on why they are only allowed to go once, as it will safe guard the life's of hundreds, even thousands.

 

[missile]

I much prefer the old way of being absolved of sin..just by saying a few Hail Marys after confession. Getting stoned has a different meaning for me.

 

[Finder]

That's all good for us catholics but for Muslims, well they need there stone throwing time. *shrugs*