This year’s Hajj death toll stood at a modest 345 pilgrims, a 40% increase of last years 244, where the pilgrims in both incidents were literally crushed to death.

Being raised in a Muslim environment, I was taught that only the weak and the sinful will fear death, for it is not a punishment but only a path to the afterlife, not to mention; most of those who died during this procession and their family are somehow happy as any Muslim who ends up at Hajj will testify. After this ritual of symbolic stoning of SATAN, Hajj comes to an end. Muslims surrounding this area from all over the World wish that, if there is one time one may wish death is at this moment.

But 345 deaths isn’t really everyday news, in comparison to 52 deaths during 7/7 London terrorist attacks, 202 in Bali’s disaster, and 198 in Madrid’s, 345 still sticks out like a soar thumb! And what worries me the most is that it is not the firs time, and I’m really not expecting it to be last! Last years 244 deaths occurred in the same bloody place, not only that! But the Saudi authorities used the same excuse of “unorganized pilgrims, who’s personal belongings had caused obstructions” via Reuters

Something is obviously wrong then, and I believe the families of the deceased deserve to know what exactly went wrong and why. A minimal search in google showed another 3 stampede incidents in the very same location since 1998, is it really an act of god? Is it the poor crowd control in that particular area? Is it the obstinacy of some of the strict Sunni Scholars that encouraged pilgrims to stick to the midday stoning time, whereas the Shi’ites have issued edicts (fatwas) allowing pilgrims to start the ritual early in the morning? Or is it simply the total disregard of Arabs to the concept of ‘wait your turn’ that took their life?

Who is to tell really, let’s all just blame the dead!