by Raashid Andrabi
SRINAGAR: Death keeps no calendar, and many pilgrims pass away during the Hajj, one of the most sacred pilgrimages in Islam. This year, a total of 31 Hajj pilgrims from across India have lost their lives during Hajj 2023.
The deceased include three pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir: Jallaludian Wali Baba, Azeema Begum, and Javid Ahmad Kawoosa. Their demise was deeply felt by their respective families who were busy preparing to receive them at the Srinagar airport.
Kawoosa, a former officer in the Elaquai Dehati Bank, was a resident of Hill View Colony Wanbal, who had gone to Hajj with his wife. He had also completed his Hajj before he passed away.
Most of the deaths occur due to heat strokes or cardiac arrests triggered by exertion. Hajj is a demanding pilgrimage, and a majority of the pilgrims are above 50 years old.
According to available details, a total of 31 Hajj pilgrims died of whom 23 deaths occurred in Mina, two in Makkah, and one each in Arafat and Muzdalifah.
After performing the Fajr prayers in Makkah, pilgrims undertake a journey to Mina, located approximately 8 kilometres away. They spend the entire day and night in Mina, engaging in prayers and reciting verses from the Qur’an. The following day, the pilgrims make their way to Arafat and remain on the desert plains, praying and repenting until after sunset.
During the Hajj pilgrimage, Muslim pilgrims bravely endure intense heat to participate in the symbolic Stoning of the Devil (Ramy al-Jamarat). This ritual involves casting stones at pillars representing the devil. From sunrise to sunset, the pilgrims symbolically throw seven stones solely at the largest pillar, known as Jamrat al-Aqabah. Custodians give pilgrims 21 pebbles for three pillars.
On June 26, two pilgrims from Gujarat, Sanur Yousufbhau and Aminaben Vohra, lost their lives in Mina City, an important site during the Hajj pilgrimage. The circumstances surrounding their deaths remain undisclosed.
The following day, June 27, saw an increase in the death toll as multiple pilgrims from various Indian states met a similar fate. The individuals who lost their lives during the pilgrimage to the holy city include Sanjib Bora from Assam, Rehana Khatoon from Uttar Pradesh, Sarwar Fatima from Telangana, Ghulam Ahmad Malangbhai from Gujarat, Abdul Khaliq from Uttar Pradesh, Khadeeja Aliyar and Khadija Aliyar from Kerala, Noorjahan Bevi from Tamil Nadu, Hashim from Kerala, Nishat Akil from Maharashtra, Shabeer Ahmad from Tamil Nadu, Kalima Ammal from Tamil Nadu, Shajitha Habib from Kerala, Mohammad Rais from Uttar Pradesh, Kunhabdulla Naduparambath from Kerala, Zamirun Nisa from Uttar Pradesh, Masuma Begum from Karnataka, Musharrat Jahan from Uttar Pradesh, Mohammad Tasleem from Bihar, Shaheen Bano from Maharashtra, Ziaudin from West Bengal, Haider Imam from Bihar, Shahnaz Begum from Maharashtra, and Rasheeda (residence unknown).
Adding to the sorrowful events, on June 29, two more individuals lost their lives while participating in the sacred Hajj pilgrimage. Md Shafiq from Assam, Shabina Raza Aazmi (residence yet unknown), Mujibuddin from Assam, and Abdul Samad from West Bengal were among the pilgrims who passed away, further deepening the sense of grief among their families and friends.
The Hajj pilgrimage, which began on June 26, is witnessing approximately 2.5 million Muslims from around the world reaching Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to encircle Islam’s holiest site, the Kaaba. This religious gathering occurs annually over six days during the 12th month of the Islamic calendar and is one of the largest in the world.
This year, a record-breaking number of Indian Hajj pilgrims, totalling 175,025, have embarked on the Hajj journey. Among them, 12,531 individuals from
Jammu and Kashmir, including 452 pilgrims from the Ladakh region, are participating in the Hajj pilgrimage organized by the Hajj Corporation of India (HCoI).
It is worth mentioning that many faithful Muslims pray for the deceased in Islam’s most revered land.
Reports appearing in Saudi media said there were 1098 deaths till June 29 and mostly because of extreme heat.
