Mo Farah shares experience of Hajj in new clip after 1,300 die in 'extreme heat'

24 June 2024 , 12:11

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Mo Farah shares experience of Hajj in new clip after 1,300 die in 'extreme heat'

Sir Mo Farah posted a video of his time at Hajj after around 1,300 Muslim pilgrims tragically died amid sweltering heat in Saudi Arabia.

The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, which Muslims must complete at least once, but the annual pilgrimage has seen more than a thousand people perish this year. The Olympics legend was one of many to attend, calling it a "beautiful place" as he uploaded a TikTok from the religious festival.

The Hajj is an obligatory act of worship for all Muslims who are physically and financially able to undertake it at least once in their lifetime. Mo decided this was the year he would attend - but the pilgrimage took place during an intense heatwave.

After searing temperature climbed to 52C, reports indicating that a significant majority of those who died were unregistered worshippers, who had less access to shaded and cooler areas. About 1.8 million people took part this year, Saudi Arabia said, but many didn't return home.

Mo Farah undertook the pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia (Tik Tok)

She says his religion is crucially important to him (Tik Tok)

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly stripped a number of tourism companies of their licences and referred their managers to prosecutors for enabling illegal pilgrimages to Mecca. It came after the costs involved prompt many to try to take part without a permit.

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The number of deaths this year at the Hajj pilgrimage has raised concerns, with countries like Jordan and Tunisia attributing some of the fatalities to intense heat. Khalid Bashir Bazaz, an Indian pilgrim, recounted the distressing scenes near the Grand Mosque, saying he "saw a lot of people collapsing to the ground unconscious" amid soaring temperatures that reached 51.8C

Security was heightened at the facility, where officials announced the names and nationalities of the deceased, which included individuals from Algeria, Egypt, and India. Relatives were permitted entry to identify their loved ones.

The ruling Al Saud family of the kingdom wields significant influence in the Muslim world, thanks to their oil wealth and stewardship of Islam's most sacred sites. Like his predecessors, King Salman has adopted the title of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, a reference to the Grand Mosque in Mecca, which houses the Kaaba towards which Muslims direct their prayers five times daily, and the Prophet's Mosque located in the neighbouring city of Medina.

Sam Elliott-Gibbs