A friend's lament

Yeah, but luggage isn't the only reason for the recurring incidents at Jamarat and other places. There are many smaller incidents that take place every minute which aren't reported and don't have anything to do with logistics. People charge towards the pillars with such anger and rage that they defy the true intended spirit of the Hajj and its rituals. In fact you even hear people swearing at the shaytaan as they stone instead of saying the takbir. It's both the ignorance, disregard and lack of consideration for your fellow Muslims that annoys me. Even during the tawaaf when performing ramal, there are men who are doing a full Olympic sprint in the first three shawaat knocking over anybody who's in their way. The same thing again happens during saee, at the black stone, at Maqaami-Ibrahim, at the Prophets grave...... The thing is you can't reason with these people. It's supposed to be the most sacred and peaceful of journeys (and I know not with out struggle of course), but still..... One of the most repeated words that you hear there (apart from the Talbiyya etc....) is sabr because you realise that Muslims don't have any patience, they can't wait in a queue and everyone thinks that they're the only ones serving God. It almost feels like some kind of violent race to heaven where Muslims really are literally trampling on each other to get to the gates of paradise. It's like people are oblivious of their surroundings and are ignoring everybody and everything around them. They don't want to see the bigger picture because that requires the daunting task of forgetting that you're not the centre of the universe. Humans are inherently selfish and Muslims are no exception to the rule. So when I say that it tests your faith I don't just mean the physical danger or indeed the fear of dying for the sake of God. It's all the negative experiences which test your patience and understanding of each other as humans and as fellow Believers. That although you will die alone you can't disregard others on the same journey. I feel in a sense bewildered that this is the Muslim ummah the very same one which Gods says in the Quran "We have appointed you a middle nation so that you may be witnesses against mankind...." Well even at Hajj we're not doing a very good job are we ? However, it's easy to criticise others, become conceited, or simply be aloof and detach ourselves and close our eyes from things that we don't like, but it's more difficult to still remain part of everything, remain humble and maybe change things. I've had a zillion things to do this morning and I think I'm in serious danger of going off on a tangent here so I'll stop rambling.