Pilgrim who died in Madinah wanted to spend time at Haram Mosque

Malaysian haj pilgrim Mohd Ghazali Abd Rahim who died in Madinah on Saturday due to lung infection had made plans with his wife Fatimah Zaharah Ghazalli about performing the haj.

Fatimah said they had made the plans during their family's umrah (minor haj) trip with three of their children in December last year.

"We were always together when our family did the umrah last December. And when we got the offer to perform the haj, we planned to spend time praying together at the Haram Mosque," she said.

"But it is all fated," she told reporters at her accommodation complex here on Friday.

Mohd Ghazali, from Taman Pengkalan Harapan, Ipoh, Perak died at 7.25 pm Saudi Arabian time on Saturday, after almost a week in Madinah.

Mohd Ghazali and Fatimah, both 53, arrived in Madinah on July 30, arriving on Flight XY06B from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Fatimah, who was earlier calm when answering questions from reporters, could not hold back her tears in recalling the last moments before her husband died.

She said three days before he died, her husband suffered diarrhoea and was taken to a clinic where he suddenly had breathing difficulties and was subsequently rushed to a hospital in Madinah.

"At the hospital, the doctor said my husband's condition was very critical and I was told to return to my accommodation. It was then that he breathed his last. I am so sad about that because I was not at his side when he died," she said.

Fatimah said although she was sad about her husband's death, she accepted it as fated.

She said her children frequently contacted her and told her to be strong as she performs the pilgrimage.

Meanwhile, Haj Guidance Counsellor Siti Fauziah Dollah Hamdani said Tabung Haji staff would accompany Fatimah when she performs the rituals of the haj.

-- BERNAMA