Hajj Tips: Part 1: Avoiding crowds With millions of persons performing hajj every year, it's easy to find one self in heavy crowded areas during the rituals of Hajj. Follows a few tips on how to handle these situation.
The Whys ======== Most of the deaths we hear of during Hajj results from stampede in overcrowded areas. These people don't willingly jump to their death. But they are the silent followers that flock with the mass walking forward and suddenly find themselves in a very compressed area where a lot of pushing and pressing and elbowing are taking place. Neither can they return back nor can they get aside. The whole human mass begins to wave forward and backward, those that can't keep up with it, fall down, while others stomp over them and they die. Don't! Avoid all dangererous crowd ===================================== A common mistake is to flock with the rest and advance silently. Especially it happens during the stoning of the devil. Always look ahead a few hundred meters and confirm that you are not approaching a dangerously overcrowded area. Dangerously overcrowded areas are those, from where you can't return back at will. Be patient, even if you feel strong =================================== Don't count on your strength, or think "well these people are stoning and returning, why can't I?" Be patient. Even if you don't die, don't let yourself be the cause of another Muslim's death. If you find the area crowded, wait, or better return to your tent. And don't forget to ask help from Allah before the start of every ritual, ". . . Fa yassir hu li, therefore please make it easy for me". Insha Allah, He will make it easy for you. Choose your time wisely ======================= By choosing your time correctly you can avoid a lot of crowed and hardship. Follows a few tips on those. Stoning 1st day, Dil-hajj 10 th Don't attempt to stone before noon. The time between 8 o'clock in the morning to 10 o'clock is the most dangerous. Most of the death during stoning occurs at this date, at this time and in this ritual. The last incident was in 2004 when 350 pilgrims died. And it wasn't the first such. The situation will probably improve now, after the last year's modification of the Jamarat area by extending the pillars. But then again, it's better that we are aware of the incidents that happened here. . The crowd falls dramatically after noon. Visit then. Women and olds can stone after sunset at night. The place is almost empty at that time. And choose your place ===================== Stoning can be performed from over the bridge or from under it. On the first day of stoning, generally the area under the bridge less crowded than the area above (opposite to what one may sense). This tip is not final, because the situation might change depending on human flow control by police. But in most cases the above is true. The crowd moves like a column to the Jamarat pillars. Therefore the Jamarat area that falls right in the front of you while approaching from Mina, is the most crowded place. If you take a little patient, and walk pass it from the side, and approach the pillar from it's behind, you will find that place far less crowded. This tip holds true for every pillar for every day of stoning. The tip again, if you find the Jamarat pillar area crowded, walk pass it and then approach from behind, not from the front. Next: Part 2 Inshall Allah Feel free to forward it to anyone you think will benefit from these information, with corrections that you deem is necessary. Remember to forward me a copy of your own tips. Was-salam. Your brother in Islam. ------------------------ Yahoo! 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