244 Muslim Pilgrims Die in Hajj Stampede
By RAWYA RAGEH, Associated Press Writer
MINA, Saudi Arabia — Nearly 250 Muslim
worshipers died in a hajj stampede Sunday during the
annual stoning of Satan ritual in one of the deadliest
tragedies at the notoriously perilous ceremony.
The stampede, during a peak event of the annual
Muslim pilgrimage, or hajj, lasted about a half-hour,
Saudi officials said. There were 244 dead and hundreds
of other worshippers injured, some critically, Hajj
Minister Iyad Madani said.
"All precautions were taken to prevent such an incident,
but this is God's will. Caution isn't stronger than fate,"
Madani said.
Most of the victims were pilgrims from inside the Saudi
kingdom and many were not authorized to participate,
he said.
In an effort to control the crowd of about 2 million, Saudi authorities sets quotas
for pilgrims from each country and required its citizens to register.
The devil-stoning is the most animated ritual of the annual pilgrimage and often the
most dangerous. Many pilgrims frantically throw rocks, shout insults or hurl their
shoes at the pillars -- acts that are supposed to demonstrate their deep disdain for
the devil. But clerics frown upon such action, saying it's un-Islamic.
Last year, 14 pilgrims were trampled to death during the ritual and 35 died in a
2001 stampede. In 1998, 180 pilgrims died.
The annual hajj, which began Thursday, climaxed Saturday as some 2 million
Muslim pilgrims listened to Saudi Arabia's top cleric denounce terrorists, calling
them an affront to Islam. However, he defended the kingdom's strict
interpretation of the faith.
Sheik Abdul Aziz al-Sheik said in his sermon there were those who claim to be
holy warriors, but were shedding Muslim blood and destabilizing the nation.
"Is it holy war to shed Muslim blood? Is it holy war to shed the blood of
non-Muslims given sanctuary in Muslim lands? Is it holy war to destroy the
possession of Muslims," he said, adding that their actions gave enemies an excuse
to criticize Muslim nations.
A large number of the victims of suicide attacks in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iraq
and elsewhere have been Muslims.
Al-Sheik, who is widely respected in the Arab world as the foremost cleric in the
country considered the birthplace of Islam, spoke at Namira Mosque in a
televised sermon watched by millions of Muslims in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf
states.
The mosque is close to Mount Arafat, where the Prophet Muhammad delivered
his last sermon in 632.
In speaking about terrorists who killed fellow Muslims, al-Sheik was clearly
referring to the prophet's final sermon, which contained the line: "Know that every
Muslim is a Muslim's brother, and the Muslims are brethren. Fighting between
them should be avoided."
Al-Sheik also criticized the international community, accusing it of attacking
Wahhabism, the strict interpretation of Islam that is applied in Saudi Arabia: "This
country is based on this religion and will remain steadfast on it."
After the sleepless night of prayer following the sermon, pilgrims gathered pebbles
to throw at the pillars. Each threw seven times, chanting "bismillah" ("In the name
of God") and "Allahu Akbar" ("God is Great").
Calling America "the greatest Satan," Egyptian pilgrim Youssef Omar threw
pebbles at one pillar where someone scrawled "USA."
From there, some pilgrims took off to the nearby holy city Mecca to perform the
main "Tawaf," or the circling of the holy stone known as the Kaaba.
Security has been high during the hajj, with thousands of police guarding the
roads and temporary camp city of Mina. Helicopters monitored the crowd from
the air.
The stoning ritual also marked the first day of Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of the
Sacrifice, celebrated at the hajj and around the Muslim world with the
slaughtering of a camel, cow or sheep. Meat is eaten and distributed to the poor.
The hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca required of all able-bodied Muslims at least
once in a lifetime, is taking place after a series of suicide bombings and police
shootouts with suspected terrorists in Saudi Arabia.
The bombings killed 51 people last year, including many Saudis, other Arabs and
eight Americans. Muslims also have died in terror attacks in Turkey, Iraq,
Morocco and elsewhere.
I can say that the good part of this year's Hajj is that the clerics are finally speaking out against violence against their own and others in the Middle East...it must come to an end from within
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