INVESTIGATIONS into the Mina stampede might reveal many errors: Poor monitoring of movement of certain groups of pilgrims from one location to other or identification of the routes they must have taken or any other inevitable mistakes in managing hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who visit the holy sites every year. Investigations might reveal similar errors yet we really don't need them to realize the mistakes pilgrims make whether when they are at the Grand Mosque performing rituals or when commuting between the holy sites and their lodgings. These mistakes are not related to the fiqh (jurisprudence) of Haj, but they are related to people's behavior who should come to perform Haj filled with lots of respect and serenity. Anyone whom Allah willed for him or her to perform Umrah during Ramadan or complete Haj knows how congested certain areas could be. Many pilgrims abuse their energy and strength as if they were at a fighting ring not in a state of worshiping. They do not consider fellow pilgrims who are weak or young or disabled. Sometimes I see groups fighting as if mercy and compassion have been taken out of their hearts. If it wasn't for Allah's mercy and diligent supervision from the concerned authorities, I believe that every visit to the Grand Mosque or holy sites would have ended with a disaster. Haj turns every year to a very difficult test wherein we live in a state of anxiety until we make sure everything is done safely. We continue to pray asking Allah to protect pilgrims from calamities and protect us from those who leave no chance to point the finger at us. Haj management authorities are no longer concerned about planning and organizing the pilgrimage process as much as they are with fixing the wrong behaviors and attitudes of pilgrims. This is why we really don't have much to say to countries that are blowing things out of proportion. What I say to them is to look into the mistakes of their pilgrims and ask what have they done every year to prepare their pilgrims before sending them in large numbers to perform Haj?
