The Jama’atu Nasril Islam, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar lll, on Sunday urged Saudi Arabian authorities to probe the stampede which led to the death of about 717 Muslims in this year’s hajj operation.
“This is one tragedy too many,” the JNI in a statement by its Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Abubakar-Aliyu, in Kaduna on Sunday.
Also, fiery Islamic cleric and leader of the Shiite Movement in Nigeria, Shiekh Ibaheem El-Zakzaky, has attributed the tragedy to a Saudi Arabian prince, whose convoy allegedly caused the stampede.
He said the prince and others fingered in the tragedy should be sentence to death.
While commisserating with the families of the victims of the tragedy, the JNI urged Muslims never to be deterred but rather remained steadfast in the current challenges confronting them.
It noted that it was gratifying that the Saudi authorities were doing all they could to make the hajj operation
smooth the way it should be but added that investigation into what led to the tragedy was necessary.
According to the JNI, an investigation into the stampede becomes imperative in order to guard against future occurrence.
The JNI added, “With humility and total submission to Allah the Exalted, the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, under the leadership of His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, Sultan of Sokoto and the Muslim President-General, condoles with heavy heart with Muslim ummah (Community) over the stampede among pilgrims while completing the rites of Hajj, which led to the loss of several lives of sites of the worship in Saudi Arabia.
“This is one tragedy too many. JNI shares the pains and worries the families of the affected victims are passing through and them to patiently persevere, and put their trust in Allah.
“Despite this and other painful trials, our faith in Allah is unshaken. Therefore, we call on each and every Muslim to remain focused and firm in his/her belief and engage in acts that will bring them closer to Allah.
“It is indeed gratifying that the Saudi authorities have been doing everything humanly possible to make the Hajj as smooth as it should be, but we still call on them to investigate the Jamarat stampede in order to avert future occurrence.”
However, the leader of the Shiite Islamic sect said the Saudi prince, whose convoy allegedly caused the stampede should not only be be blamed for the death of innocent souls but be held culpable for the ugly incident.
El-Zakzaky, speaking on Saturday in Zaria, Kaduna State, as part of activities to mark the Sallah festival, argued that the management of the hajj was not the exclusive preserve of the Al-Saud royal family.
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