A Malaysian pilgrim named Mohammad Zuhair, in his 50s, passed away inside the Grand Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, just 12 hours after arriving to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage for the first time, marking the completion of his journey in the holiest of places.
Clad in the white Ihram robe, Zuhair collapsed in the Tawaf courtyard of the Grand Mosque, where the Holy Kaaba is situated. According to reports from the Saudi news website Sabq, he had no known health issues before his sudden demise.
Zuhair and his wife had embarked on the journey from Malaysia, having applied for Hajj at the last moment. To their astonishment, they received unexpected approval to undertake the sacred pilgrimage.
Upon reaching Mecca with fellow Malaysian pilgrims, the couple proceeded to the Grand Mosque. Zuhair completed the ritual of circling the Kaaba but collapsed as he made his way towards Al Mas’aa, the site for the Sa’i ritual.
Medical personnel rushed to his aid, and though Zuhair briefly regained consciousness, he collapsed again and passed away. His wife, Fawzia, who had accompanied him, witnessed his final moments. She recalled Zuhair’s contemplation before they departed from Kuala Lumpur, where he had expressed thoughts about the possibility of not returning.
Preparations are now being made for Zuhair’s burial. The Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is obligatory for every Muslim who possesses the physical and financial capability to perform it at least once in their lifetime.
