The Hajj Is Not Without Its Risks.

[sandyRoe]

Terrible news from Mecca, pious people struck down by the intense heat as they observed one of the pillars of their religion.

Should the Saudi authorities be doing more to protect pilgrims?

[sandyRoe]

https://news.sky.com/story/hajj-at-least-550-people-die-in-annual-muslim-pilgrimage-to-holy-city-of-mecca-13155271

[ToraToraTora]

I am planning my own pilgrimage at lunch time, I must walk at least 1 mile in blistering heat to reach the well of the holy cider.

[davebro3]

Later report is nearly 1000 have died. Of course many making the pilgrimage will be elderly and possibly sick/infirm. Lots do die every year but the heat is making it worse.

[ToraToraTora]

stop it dave, i'm welling up ere!

[andres]

The caualties and deaths used to be due to people being trampled on or suffocated because of the over crowding. Now the deaths are mainly due to the excessive heat due to climate change and I don't know what could be done about that. 

[ToraToraTora]

What do they actually do anyway? As far as I can tell they go to Mecca and lob a shoe at concrete pillar. Do they take the shoe for the purpose or do they have to go and find it later so they can walk home?

[davebro3]

Allah will see them all right seeing as they were about his business...

[Untitled]

yes, the saudi government should do everything in its power to protect pilgrims including limiting the numbers and barring access during extreme weather. but they won't. 

[Peter Pedant]

asks a Christian....

No - god is in charge of everything. When there was around 100 deaths a few years ago, the gran mufti was heard to murmur.

their  time was up: they wd have died wherever they were.

(that was his view, not official dogma)

MUCH more impt was when the Gt Mosque was occpied by dissidents/freedom fighter who wdnt come out on command of said gran mufti

should they send in French Christian special forces ( into a holy shrine)  - god how they argued about that.

answer yes and the rest is history - french - quick 'merci' and then hustled out: job done

[Peter Pedant]

Allah will see them all right seeing as they were about his business...

sozza  ALL of us - God has predetermined the future for all of us. end of. doesnt do much for free will

Clearly someone like el Fayed thought god really needed a hand....

[Peter Pedant]

they go to Mecca and lobba shoe at a concrete pillar.

( er I dont think it is concrete)

This is on the  level of " papal infallibility: what happens if the Pope ( il Papa, his  holiness) says it is gonna rain tomorrow and it doesnt?"

oh well,  normal day on AB then

[douglas9401]

" papal infallibility: what happens if the Pope ( il Papa, his  holiness) says it is gonna rain tomorrow and it doesnt?"

 

At best a damp squib.

[brainiac]

Surely their God should be doing more to protect them

[douglas9401]

Maybe Al is like the Christian god,  helps them who help themselves.

[Peter Pedant]

Papal infallibility - At best a damp squib.

Please dont rain on my parade

[Untitled]

well seeing as their god doesn't exist it is unfortunately up to their fellow human beings to help them.

[Peter Pedant]

well seeing as their god doesn't exist it is unfortunately up to their fellow human beings to help them.

if you put that into Arabic I am not sure if makes sense

( a bit  like saying big Brother is un-good - - in 1984, or " a wild rose is a predator in Africa")

[Sinead_O]

Perhaps this was Allah's way of speeding up the pilgrimage?  

[Old_Geezer]

No. Allah will only call those he wishes to return to him.

[dave50]

It's a heatwave, these have happened since time immemorial, nothing to do with climate change.