Huda Omari and Magda Moussa undertook the annual hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia amid record heat, costing the lives of at least 1,300 pilgrims, primarily due to lack of official permits. Omari, from Jordan, and Moussa, from Egypt, faced severe physical and financial hurdles. Omari waited two days outside a broker’s office for a visa, while Moussa’s three sons saved nearly $9,000 to enable their mother to make the trip.
Registered pilgrims enjoy accommodations with air-conditioning and transportation, but unregistered pilgrims like Omari and Moussa stayed in overcrowded, poorly maintained apartments. Authorities crack down on unregistered pilgrims; in Jordan, arrests were made, and travel agencies were closed following 99 Jordanian deaths during the hajj.
Omari faced dangerous conditions, walking 12 miles in scorching heat to reach religious sites after being denied transportation. Moussa and her family endured similar hardships, living off canned food and facing police harassment. The extreme heat and difficult conditions led to many deaths, highlighting a widening gap between those who can afford official packages and those who cannot.
Family members walked long distances in oppressive heat, often without adequate protection, leading to tragic outcomes. Despite the hardships, both women completed their pilgrimage, but their experiences underscored serious safety concerns and exploitation in an industry eager for profit.
Original Story https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/08/world/middleeast/hajj-unregistered-pilgrims-heat-deaths.html
Category : Pilgrimages,Deaths (Fatalities),Heat and Heat Waves,Muslims and Islam,Saudi Arabia,Egypt,Jordan,Mecca (Saudi Arabia)
Tags:
