Re: Stoning the pillars/walls at Hajj.
first of all im pretty sure that no pilgrim goes there with the intention of stamping over his fellow pilgrims, the stampede was caused by luggage falling of passing buses, this led to a pilgrim tripping over the luggage and that caused a knock-on domino effect, this time it seems to have been caused by a genuine accident,
on the day the stampede occured the flow rate of pilgrims was 150,000 per hour through the gates(CNN newsreporter), that is a huge huge number for anyone to manage, add the fact that there are pilgrims from all over the world of all colour, creed, age, physical condition etc you can imagine it takes one minor thing to cause panic.
i think the authorities have done a competent job in coping with the logisitics of hajj, the stoning times have been extended, the pillars have been extended into walls so to increase the numbers of stoning at one time, as crescent said there are plans to totally rebuild the jamarat and talks of 5 or 9 levels to be constructed, the authorities year by year analyse how the hajj went and then look for solutions to improve the facilities!! another point of the authorities i love is their zero tolerance towards any trouble makers in regards to religion… say or try anything silly there and you’re finished!!