Safety of Hajj Must Be Ensured
Addressing the Iranian nation in a live televised show on Tuesday evening, the president once again expressed his condolences over the September 24 deadly crush during the Hajj rituals in Mina, near the holy Saudi city of Makkah, and said the causes of the tragic incident should be clarified for the Muslim world and the Iranian nation.
He added that the clarification of the aspects of the Mina crush would prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.
Rouhani said the tragic incident showed lack of foresight on the part of Saudi rulers which led to the killing of thousands of men and women from across the Muslim world, including from Iran.
While Riyadh has yet to provide a complete report on the tragedy including an update on its earlier death toll of 769, Iranian officials say about 4,700 people, including 465 Iranians, lost their lives in the tragedy.
President Rouhani noted that a number of Iranian pilgrims who went missing following the incident are still unaccounted for, hoping that their fate will be determined soon.
He also thanked the Iranian Hajj mission, the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization and others who made efforts to relieve the families of the victims.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian chief executive referred to the Iranian people’s preparation for attending mourning ceremonies during the lunar month of Muharram, saying that the culture of Muharram and Ashura is the culture of dignity and standing up against oppression and injustice.
Shia Muslims, and others in different parts of the world, will hold mourning ceremonies starting from Thursday, to mourn the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS) and his companions in the month of Muharram.
Imam Hussein (AS) and a small group of his followers and family members were martyred by the tyrant of his time - Yazid Bin Moaweya in 680 AD.
They were martyred in the battle of Karbala on Ashura- the tenth day of Muharram which is the first month on the lunar calendar.
Imam Hussein and his 72 companions stood in the face of Yazid's large army, and were killed for refusing to pledge allegiance to him.
Muharram mourning ceremonies reach their climax at noon on Ashura.
