They want answers and they want solutions now. The Saudis must stop the blame game and idle talk

As Iran’s Leader Ayatollah Khomenei holds: “The Muslim world has many questions about the Makkah tragedy. The death of more than 800 people is no small matter. Instead of projection and incriminating this or that, Saudis must accept their responsibility and apologise to the Muslim Ummah and bereft families.”

Undoubtedly, the Muslim world expects this and more. Muslims will never forget the Makkah tragedy, nor will they ever forgive those responsible. They want answers and they want solutions now. The Saudis must stop the blame game and idle talk.

They first blamed some “noncompliant” and “inexperienced” pilgrims for the crowd crush. Then they blamed “heat” and “exhaustion”; then they blamed “two groups of pilgrims that crossed each other”; then they blamed “a crowd walking in the opposite direction”; then they blamed “the Africans”; then they blamed “the Iranian”.

But wait until you hear this: Amid the growing public backlash, the Saudi Grand Mufti came up with a perfect excuse: He declared: “Saudi authorities are blameless. The crowd crush was fate, an act of God!”

It’s a terrible way of blaming God for what happened in Makkah due to systematic negligence and error. Conceivably, Saudis will even blame ‘gravity’ if that helps them escape liability! Because why not?

In this particular case, they persist in a dissatisfying relationship with the Muslim world, unwilling either to work toward solutions or end it and move on. They know changing will lead to the unknown (change in the authority in charge of administering the Hajj pilgrimage).

They also know the unknown will be much more painful than what they’re already experiencing in the aftermath of Makkah tragedy – in which their half a truth is a whole lie.

This is not an attempt to “politicise” a horrific tragedy – as Saudi Foreign minister Adel Al-Jubeir says “Iran is doing”. It’s just a polite way of saying you are not fit to administer Hajj.

When you carelessly lead thousands of prospectus pilgrims to a death trap, it means you are not able to channel and protect one of the world’s largest regular human migrations. So the least you could do is stop insulting the intelligence of the Muslim community.

Saudis should be afraid because they refuse to do what’s best for them. Their hands are stained with the blood of innocent people and still they refuse to learn anything from the man-made disaster. Even if they have learned something, they will find themselves no wiser than before. They are full of murderous resentment and idle talk: of the mind, covetousness, hatred, and error.

As Khomenei holds: “The world of Islam should find a solution to this problem.” That solution has to include a change in the authority of Hajj administration.

Al Saud believes they are the sole guardians of Makkah, Islam’s holiest city, and they should be allowed to run the Hajj pilgrimage anyhow!

This is absurd. Makkah belongs to the Muslim world. It is not a Saudi possession. Lest they forget, this is not the first time Saudi has been directly responsible for the horrific deaths of thousands of pilgrims.

By: Adan Ibrahim

Source: The Star