Ghanaian woman declared dead during Hajj returns home alive

The family and the residents of Madina are in shock after a woman believed to have died during the Hajj pilgrimage returned home after the family held a funeral for her.

It all began during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. News reached Madina that Fatima Kassim, a well-known resident, had passed away while performing Hajj. Official documentation, including a death certificate from Ghana’s consulate in Saudi Arabia, confirmed her passing. The family organise her funeral in line with Islamic tradition.

But just days after her funeral. On July 2nd, Fatima Kassim returned home alive. Her arrival sent shockwaves through the neighborhood. Some residents were so stunned, they reportedly fled, fearing they had seen a ghost.

Fatima’s family was left in a state of both joy and confusion. One relative told reporters,
“I feel happy and sad, because we are still confused about the situation. This is like a wonder.”
Explaining what had happen, Alhaji Amadu Sorogho, Director of Administration of the Hajj Taskforce, admitted it was a case of mistaken identity.

He said: “There were two patients there, one had a tourist visa and the other went with us, but by then their passports were not with them. So, we mistakenly gave the one with the tourist passport to this one. Usually, when it happens, it is the embassy that takes control, so they issued the certificate. So we knew that one was gone and one was on admission mistakenly, we exchanged .”