PILGRIMAGE is the journey towards a sacred place to engage in collective acts of worship. Every year, a large number of Muslims across the world travel to Makkah to fulfil the sacred obligation. This year, according to the Haj authorities in Saudi Arabia, more than 1.83 million Muslims performed Haj.

However, the death of more than 900 pilgrims has left the Muslim world shocked. It is true that Saudi Arabia is a desert country, and soaring temperatures, accompanied by the effects of the climate change phenomenon, have made the situation even worse. There is a widespread and justified uproar on the social media about the inappropriate arrangements made by the host country this year.

The authorities in Saudi Arabia need to look into the matter thoroughly. Moreover, they should bring those responsible for the mismanagement to justice. This will surely set an example for those who exploit the innocent pilgrims, and help avoid such conditions in the future.

Javeriya Mahar
Hyderabad

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2024