On Friday morning, an Iraqi pilgrim committed suicide at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, by throwing himself off the elevated Kaaba circumambulation area onto the courtyard where worshippers were circling the sacred edifice and praying, according to Al Arabiya.
Numerous media reports, as well as the spokesman of the Iraqi Hajj delegation, stated that the deceased 43-years-old man - known as Hussain Hameed Al Haidari and originally from Baghdad - had suffered from mental health issues and was struggling emotionally and psychologically following the death of his only son a few months ago.
Furthermore, the spokesman said that Al Haidari traveled to Mecca with his mother to perform Hajj, adding that she is now in a critical medical condition following her son's suicide.
The Saudi Hajj Central Committee also reported that the man was killed instantly upon impact, injuring two other pilgrims who have since been transferred to a nearby health facility for treatment. The reasons for the suicide remain unknown as Saudi authorities continue to investigate the incident.
Not the first case of suicide at Islam's holiest site
Islam, just like other monotheistic religions, prohibits suicide. However, this isn't the first tragic case that occurred in Mecca over the past few months.
In June 2018, a Frenchman committed suicide by jumping from the roof of the Grand Mosque. At the time, disturbing footage from the inside of the holy site showed the man falling as crowds gathered for Friday prayers during Ramadan.
A cry of horror went up among the pilgrims as they helplessly watched the man fall. Local police officers and paramedics were seen desperately trying to revive the man.
Also in June this year, a Bangladeshi man committed suicide by throwing himself to death from the first floor of Mecca's Grand Mosque. He fell into the Kaaba circumambulation area where worshippers were circling the sacred structure and onto a Sudanese man who was praying, causing him serious fractures and injuries.
Following the shocking incident, Saudi security forces immediately reviewed the surveillance footage and confirmed the death to be a case of suicide. According to the CCTV recordings, the man was seen jumping over the fence on the first floor and into the crowd on the ground floor.