MINA, 2 January 2007 — Six old and infirm pilgrims, abandoned by their bus in the midway between Mina from Muzdalifah, were rescued and helped to perform the stoning rituals. They had nothing to eat and nothing to keep themselves warm.
Ghulam Mohiuddin Allaig, 65, Shamima Allaig, 62, (in a wheelchair), Mohammed Maqbool Allaig, 60, Ameena Allaig, 57, all from Srinagar, and Abdul Rehman Mir, 59, (also in a wheelchair) and his wife Jana Begum, 49, spent the night at Muzdalifah and were to proceed to Mina on the bus they were allotted.
The driver dropped all the pilgrims on the outskirts of Muzdalifah and told them to trek to Mina. Young and able-bodied pilgrims started marching toward the tent city to perform the stoning ritual, but for the old and infirm it was a difficult journey.
“We were too old and exhausted with two of us in wheelchairs,” said Mohiuddin Allaig. “Our mobile phone was also not working. We lost all hope of reaching Mina safely.”
With nobody, and night approaching, the weather started to get chilly. At around 5:30 p.m. they were able to get through by mobile phone to the wife of Indian Consul Haj Suhel Ejaz Khan.
“I called them back to find out their exact location in Muzdalifah, but they were not able to tell us where they had been stuck up,” said Indian Consul General Ausaf Sayeed. The Haj consul sent people to find the stranded pilgrims. “So, the Haj consul with one of our staff members left for Muzdalifah on foot and after a few hours finally met the stranded pilgrims.”
Due to cold weather and exhaustion, wheelchair bound Shamima Allaig and Abdul Rehman Mir had taken stopped on a hill.
“We were sure that we will die in the valley of Muzdalifah but Allah sent us help and we were rescued. I am thankful to the consulate officials for saving our lives. We have no word to thank, I pray to Allah to reward them,” Shamima said. They were not in a condition to perform their stoning ritual. After medical check up and some rest they were sent with the consulate staff to Jamrat to stone the Satan.
“We have not done anything special for them, this is part of our job,” Suhel said and added that now all six of them are fine, recovering and trying to come out of this traumatic experience.
