Sir Mo Farah posted a video of his time at Hajj after around 1,300 Muslim pilgrims tragically died amid sweltering heat in Saudi Arabia. The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, which Muslims must complete at least once, but the annual pilgrimage has seen more than a thousand people perish this year. The Olympics legend was one of many to attend, calling it a "beautiful place" as he uploaded a TikTok from the religious festival.
The Hajj is an obligatory act of worship for all Muslims who are physically and financially able to undertake it at least once in their lifetime. Mo decided this was the year he would attend - but the pilgrimage took place during an intense heatwave. After searing temperature climbed to 52C, reports indicating that a significant majority of those who died were unregistered worshippers , who had less access to shaded and cooler areas.
About 1.8 million people took part this year, Saudi Arabia said, but many didn't return home. Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly stripped a number of tourism companies of their licences and referred their managers to prosecutors for enabling illegal pilgrimages to Mecca.
It came after the costs involved prompt many to try to take part without a permit. The number of deaths this year at the Hajj pilgrimage has raised concerns, with countries like Jordan and Tunisia attributing some of the fatalities to intense heat. Khalid Bashir Bazaz, an Indian pilgrim, recounted the distressing scenes near the Grand Mosque, s.
