Pilgrims went in prayer

EVERY so often humanity is punctuated by tragedy – whether by natural disasters or man-made, it is a cruel reminder that life is as fragile as it is almost momentary.

The calamitous stampede in Mina, Saudi Arabia, in which over 700 Muslim pilgrims were crushed to death is yet another tragedy that invokes our immense sympathies for those who lost their lives and for their families who have lost their loved ones.

The Hajj, a holy manifestation of a Muslim’s subservience to God, like all religious pilgrimages, is supposed to be a happy and spiritual occasion. Yet this tragedy ominously reminds us that no matter where you are or what the reason is for you being there, it is fate and not faith that is the eventual decider.

Images of the devastation left in the wake of the stampede were heart-rending, and the irony that people had to die while in pursuit of their religious beliefs makes this disaster even more tragic and painful.

However we want to attribute the moment of death, the stark reality is that it lurks in places we least expect, but every moment is a potential last one for each of us.

So it was for hundreds of god-fearing worshippers. They went in prayer and never returned. Perhaps there is some solace in that.

While we offer succour and condolences to the families of those passed on, I am constantly reminded that making sense of life means, ultimately and always, making sense of death – will there ever be an answer? NARENDH GANESH

Durban North