KULOB, December 27, Asia-Plus - Ganjikhon Qayumov, head of the religious affairs department of the Kulob mayor’s office told Asia-Plus that a 69-year-old Hajji from the village of Mirpok in the Kulob district Madullo Madaliyev died in a stampede in Mecca a week ago. 

Other 33 Hajjis from Kulob are continuing to fulfill this 5 ^th pillar of Islam, according to him.  

The Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, the birthplace of Islam, is one of the central religious duties of Muslims and is enshrined in the Qur''an.  The pilgrimage is also inspired by the earlier example of obedience to God set by the Prophet Abraham.

The Hajj to Mecca is an once-in-a-lifetime obligation upon male and female adults whose health and means permit it.  Hajj takes place each year between the 8th and the 13th days of Zul-Hijjah, the 12th month of the Muslim lunar calendar.