Ruling on Delaying the Stay in Mina Due to Unforeseen Circumstances

Question:
This is a female caller to the program who sent a set of questions. The caller is from Al-Bahah and used the code (S. A. A) for her name. She says: Allah has blessed us, and we performed the obligatory Hajj last year. On the Day of Sacrifice, we went to Makkah for the Tawaf of Ifadah, and we were delayed there until after midnight, as we lost our father in the crowd for a period reaching five hours. When we found him, we boarded the bus to Mina to catch the stay in Mina, but due to the heavy traffic, the bus was delayed, and we entered the boundaries of Mina shortly before Fajr, approximately twenty minutes or a quarter of an hour before. Have we caught the stay, or what is obligatory upon us? May you be rewarded.

Answer:
We hope that nothing is required of you, because you are excused by the crowd and by losing your father. We hope there is no blame on you, and nothing is required of you, because the excuse is a great excuse. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) granted a dispensation to the water carriers to not stay in Mina on its nights, and granted a dispensation to the shepherds to not stay due to hardship. So, with these events, you have a great hardship that delayed you from Mina. Yes. You are excused, if Allah wills. Yes.