RELIGIOUS NEWS AGENCY (REDNA) – The Hajj enters its last day today with the festival of Eid ul Adha ending the ten-day period of religious observance, including the Hajj and often fasting and generous giving. 2.5 million people are said to have been in Mecca over the past week for the Hajj,
But concerns were raised over the very high temperatures experienced there – up to 113 degrees Fahrenheit.
It is expected that this will only increase with climate change.
Shahin Ashraf, Islamic Relief’s Head of Global Advocacy, on climate change and Hajj, told Religions Media Center that it is usual to expect one death in every thousand pilgrims, with 70 per cent of these caused by heat exhaustion and cardiac arrests. There are 32,000 medical staff in Mecca to cope, but the situation may get so bad that age restrictions may have to put in place to save lives, she said.
There have been plans to increase the numbers attending the Hajj and Umrah, the chaos of the online ticketing system which has left people heartbroken when they could not secure a place, and the impact on Islam in the west if ticket restrictions remain, meaning people cannot comply with one of the five requirements of their religion – to attend the Hajj.