Leicester couple ‘not surprised by’ 50 degree heat during Hajj

A couple who thought they had lost more than £20,000 on a Hajj pilgrimage have now completed the “wonderful” journey.

Mohamed and Rahma Omar, from Braunstone in Leicester, set off for Mecca on June 3 for Eid-al-Adha.

The couple thought their dreams had been “scattered” after their plane tickets failed to arrive, but they have been refunded almost £20,000, six months after their first complaint to the Nusuk Hajj supplier.

That reimbursement allowed them to visit the holy site in Saudi Arabia this month, where they took precautions to cope with temperatures of nearly 50C (122F).

Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is a religious requirement for all Muslims who can afford it.

After returning on Friday, Mr Omar, 67, said: “We had so many seminars to let us know what was going to happen there, so we were well prepared.”

This included the use of special silver umbrellas that are designed to protect people from the sun.

Mr Omar added: “We were told there would be a lot of walking. Probably up to five hours for those ritualistic performances. So we were aware of that as well.

“We have been advised not to use or drink cold drinks. We must use soft water and soft juices.”

He said those precautions were the reasons he and his wife stayed safe on their trip.

“The heat was bearable,” Mr Omar said. “We were already psychologically prepared, so we were not surprised by the heat.”

He said he only saw one person collapse due to the heat during the journey while on a bus, but that the individual recovered immediately.