Friday night said except Nigerian pilgrims to the holy land get
accommodation close to Jamrat, Nigerians will no longer participate in
the stoning of devil ritual.
The emir's stance on the stoning ritual came on the heels of the
recent stampede in Saudi Arabia that killed several pilgrims,
including about 70 Nigerians.
The Amirul Hajj also reiterated his earlier position that blacks,
particularly Nigerians, were not responsible for the stampede.
Sanusi II, who quoted several verses of the Qur'an, said refusal to
perform the stoning of devil ritual does not in any way invalidate
one's pilgrimage.
He said, "During the era of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), he permitted
pilgrims who came on camels to stay in Makkah after Arafat, instead of
staying in Mina and sleeping at Muzdalifa.
"So, if the Prophet can give such grace to some people, just to
protect their animals, why didn't our scholars educate our people
properly to avoid this untoward hardship and death?
"Therefore, it will be part of my recommendation to the Federal
Government that, if we cannot get accommodation close to Jamrat where
the Arabs reside in Mina, then this year may be the last time we will
sleep in Mina and Muzdalifa because we want to stone the devil.
"If one deliberately refuses to perform the stoning of the devil
ritual, all he needs to do is just to slaughter a ram. So, if this is
the situation, why do we go and suffer and die instead of sacrificing
a ram".
-INFORMATION NIGERIA
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