Tragic news that a woman’s husband who was performing Haj had died turned to elation Tuesday when the missing man turned up alive at King Abdullah Medical City.

Badarunnisa and Barkatullah of Chennai city had come to Makkah to perform Haj, but were separated during the confusion of the first day. Following a four-day search for Barkatullah, Badarunnisa concluded that her husband had died alone. Other pilgrims in her group came to the same conclusion, and the family made arrangements Tuesday to conduct ceremonial final rites in India.

“I was in a state of shock,” Badarunnisa told Arab News. “I was praying for my husband’s soul to rest in peace and I called the family back home in India to inform them to do the same.”

The family in India canceled their Eid celebration and began mourning Barkatullah’s death. They conducted Qur’anic recitations.

But late Tuesday, Indian IFF volunteer Ashraf discovered an unidentified elderly man at the intensive care unit of King Abdullah Medical City in Makkah.

Saudi emergency crews had taken Barkatullah to Arafah by ambulance to help him fulfill his life’s dream of perming Haj and then returned him to the medical center.

Medical authorities tracked down Badarunnisa and also managed to call their son in Chennai.

Volunteer Ashraf told Arab News, that “the wife in Mina and the son in India both took some time to realize that their beloved one is alive.”

“It’s nothing sort of miracle for us, as we firmly believed that he was dead,” Badarunnisa said. “But we found him alive with medical care. It was amazing to know that Saudi authorities are providing such degree of care to foreign pilgrims.”