In Dar es Salaam, Shafii Ally, a Madrasa teacher left the country on September 3, this year to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia to perform the hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam.
Looking thrilled, just as his family and close friends since it was his first hajj, probably there was much expectation from him out of this special and rare trip, including first-hand account of hajj rituals from the would-be pilgrim.
But alas, their expectations were shuttered hardly two weeks after he had left. Sad as things went, they did not receive him back at the airport where they bade him farewell.
What perhaps made them saddest was the fact that it was the last time they saw their beloved father because all who died in the horrific last Thursday stampede at the stone throwing ritual were buried in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia.The Islamic traditions require that once a Muslim dies, they should be buried without delay by fellow Muslims. This could be the reason why Ali, just like other Muslims who died on the fateful day had to be buried in Saudi Arabia instead of having their bodies returned home.
Reports had it that as on the day when pilgrims started observing the stone throwing ritual, two giant waves of pilgrims collided at an intersection between Jamarat and Mina and according to Saudi authorities, more than 700 people were trampled on to death in what is termed as the worst hajj disaster in a quarter-century.
But other countries that lost their nationals in the disaster, including Iran, which has accused Saudi Arabia of downplaying the death figures, asserting that actual number could run into thousands.
It is reported that one crowd had just finished a ritual in which pilgrims throw pebbles at three stone columns representing the devil when it ran into another wave of people heading to perform the rite.
It is not only in Saudi Arabia where confusing figures have been given, even figures concerning Tanzanians who died or disappeared in the incident are not clear.
The official statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation show that at least five Tanzanians died. However conflicting reports given by the Muslim council of Tanzania and some of the pilgrims still there (In Medina now) say that more than 50 Tanzanians pilgrims are still missing.
The 40-year-old Ally, who is survived by a widow and three children, is one of them. It is believed that more than 3,000 pilgrims from Tanzania, 1,300 of whom are from Zanzibar went for hajj this year.
Speaking to ‘The Guardian’ at Magomeni in Dar es Salaam on behalf of the family, his uncle Mustafa Yusuf said the family was shocked on receiving tidings about the demise of their beloved nephew who had so much ahead of him.
“We can’t believe what has happened,” he said:
“We expected to meet him alive after accomplishing his long time dream of performing hajj but he is no more.”
His widow was too traumatised to speak.
The head of Tanzania Baitu-Zakaat Babu-Salaa, one of the hajj agencies that send pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, Alhaj Marussu Msii, expressed sadness to what happened to fellow Muslims and asked the Saudi authorities to do more to ensure the security and safety of pilgrims while there.
Msii performed the hajj last year but did not go there this year.
Soon after the tragedy, King Salman expressed his condolences and pledged speedy investigation. He said he gave instructions for a review of all existing plans and arrangements to improve the level of organisation and management of the movement of the pilgrims.
Meanwhile, David Kisanga from Zanzibar reports that 268 pilgrims from the Isles who survived the Mina stampede safely returned home on Tuesday night.
In an interview with ‘The Guardian’ yesterday, one of the pilgrims, Salim Mohammed Alkabi described the Mina scene as “the worst incident that I have ever seen.”
Alkabi said though what happened can be described as Allah’s wish, there was obvious negligence on the side of Saudi security officers in handing the situation.
He said the security officials had closed one of the entrances to Mina which were being used by the Kingdom’s Defence Minister who at the time of the incident was also in the place.
According to him, that was the main entrance and after it was blocked, the pilgrims started pushing each other, which resulted in the deadly stampede.
“I was at the slaughtering area when the incident occurred, and was really saddened when I heard what happened," he said as tears were almost rolling out of his eyes.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
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