Leader of Nigeria‘s contingent to the just concluded pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II, remains unhappy about the loss of many lives during the stoning of the devil rites during the hajj.
Sanusi is already contemplating recommending to the federal government that Nigerians should in future skip that particular rite except they are accommodated close to Jamrat where the stoning takes place.
Up to 70 Nigerians are believed to have lost their lives in the stampede during the Jamrat rite. Latest figures say over 1000 pilgrims died in the stampede.
Alhaji Sanusi who is also the Emir of Kano told Sokoto pilgrims in the Holy Land that stoning of the devil is not worth the blood of any Muslim.
The Emir who quoted several verses of the Quran and the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said refusal to even perform the stoning of devil rituals does not in any way invalidate one’s Hajj.
His words: “During the era of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), he permitted pilgrims who came on camels to stay in Makkah after Arafat, instead of staying in Mina and sleeping at Muzdalifa.
“So, if the Prophet could give such grace to some people, just to protect their animals, why didn’t our scholars educate our people properly to avoid this untoward hardship and death.
“Therefore, it will be part of my recommendations to the federal government that, if we cannot get accommodation close to Jamrat where the Arabs reside in Mina, then this year may be the last time we will sleep in Mina and Muzdalifa because we want to stone the devil.
“Besides that, if one deliberately refuses to even perform the stoning of the devil rituals, all he needs to do is to slaughter a ram. So, if this is the situation, why do we go and suffer and die instead of sacrificing a ram?
“As is it presently, sleeping in Mina and Muzdalifa is not backed by any Hadith or verse of the Qur’an. So, why do we continue to do it?”
The Emir said, he would, as the leader of the Nigerian delegation, recommend that Nigerians no longer participate in the devil stoning rite, except they are accommodated close to ‘Jamrat’.
He insisted that blacks, particularly Nigerians, were not responsible for the Mina stampede. Nigeria, according to him, has no issue with the Saudi authorities, but stressed that the Riyahd authorities must understand that no human being is superior to another before Allah, except he who fears Allah most.
The Emir, however, challenged Islamic scholars to educate Muslims on how to perform a hitch-free hajj, without losing anybody’s blood.
