Cairo, Egypt – Egyptian authorities are facing challenges in determining the official death toll of pilgrims who perished during the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. The soaring temperatures at the pilgrimage site have led to hundreds of deaths, with most of the fatalities coming from Egypt. The pilgrimage, one of the largest annual religious gatherings in the world, draws nearly two million Muslims to Mecca each year.
Many Egyptian pilgrims, hailing from poor villages, invest their life savings into the journey to the holiest city in Islam. Effendiya, a 70-year-old mother of five from Menoufiya, was among those who sacrificed to fulfill her religious duty. Despite selling her jewelry to fund the trip, she tragically lost her life while performing her rituals, leaving her family devastated.
Effendiya’s youngest son recounts how his mother’s dream of Hajj turned into a nightmare. The family reveals that she had embarked on the pilgrimage with promises of five-star service, only to be abandoned in the scorching heat without adequate facilities. The lack of registration for the pilgrimage further complicated matters, leading to challenges in identifying the deceased and contacting their families.
Effendiya’s death sheds light on the struggles faced by unregistered pilgrims who seek to fulfill their religious obligations without official permits. The Egyptian Prime Minister has vowed to investigate the tour companies involved in sending unregistered pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, seeking accountability for the tragedies that have unfolded.
As Effendiya’s family grapples with their loss, they find solace in the knowledge that she was laid to rest in the holy city of Mecca, a place she longed to be buried. The heartbreaking stories emerging from the Hajj pilgrimage underscore the importance of ensuring the safety and well-being of all pilgrims, regardless of their pilgrimage status. The quest for spiritual fulfillment should not come at the cost of human lives, prompting calls for greater oversight and protection for those embarking on this sacred journey.