Islam Times - International Body Needed for Haj Management: US Scholar

Islam Times - There is a need for an international body to manage the Haj rituals after Saudis failed to guarantee the safety of pilgrims, the Imam of Washington’s Masjid al-Islam said in an interview with Press TV.

Saudis are trying to politicize Hajj rituals to their benefit and their political views are affecting every aspect of the pilgrimage, Abdul Alim Musa said.

Hajj sermon is a traditional speech given at the end of Hajj rituals. Hajj or pilgrimage to Kaaba is an Islamic ritual that every Muslim must do at least once in his lifetime if physically and financially capable.

Referring to the killing of hundreds of Iranian pilgrims in 1987 by the Saudi forces, he said politics cannot be separated from the Hajj management as far as Saudi Arabia is concerned, because of the Al Saud rulers' historical criminal behavior in killing Muslims

The Imam demanded an international body to manage the Hajj rituals "because Saudi Arabia has shown no interest in managing the Hajj on behalf of Islam and the Muslims.”

A crush during the Hajj rituals last year killed about 4,700 pilgrims, including 465 Iranians. The incident was caused by the mismanagement of Saudi authorities, who had blocked roads and directed two columns of pilgrims toward one another from opposite directions

Iranian Supreme Leader condemned the “disgraced misguided” Saudi rulers for their "incompetency" in managing Hajj leading to Mina Catastrophe and blocking the path of Iranians to this year Haj.