Nearly two million pilgrims carried out the final main ritual of Hajj, “stoning of the devil”, on Friday as Muslims across the globe celebrated the start of the Eid al-Adha vacation.
From earlier than day break, the 1.6 million-plus pilgrims started throwing seven stones at every of three concrete partitions symbolizing the satan within the Mina valley, on the outskirts of the holy metropolis of Mecca.
Droves of pilgrims had already set out from their lodging within the sprawling tent metropolis in Mina earlier than daybreak, making the most of the cool temperatures.
The ritual commemorates Abraham’s stoning of the satan on the three spots the place it’s stated Satan tried to dissuade him from obeying God’s order to sacrifice his son.
“Our experience in Mina was easy and simple. We entered and within five minutes we had completed the stoning of the devil at the ‘Jamarat’,” stated 34-year-old Wael Ahmed Abdel Kader, from Egypt, after finishing up the ritual at daybreak.
Howakita, a pilgrim from Guinea, stated the prospect of celebrating Eid in Mecca stuffed her with pleasure.
“When I threw the stones I felt at ease. I was truly proud,” she stated.
A day earlier, pilgrims converged on Mount Arafat, praying and reciting Koranic verses on the 70-metre (230-foot) rocky rise close to Mecca, the place the Prophet Mohammed is believed to have given his final sermon.
Many climbed the mount regardless of the searing warmth, although numbers had thinned by noon following official warnings for pilgrims to remain inside between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm.
This yr’s Hajj noticed authorities implementing a variety of warmth mitigation efforts alongside a wide-ranging crackdown on illicit pilgrims, leading to noticeably thinner crowds and a heavy safety presence at holy websites in Mecca and surrounding areas.
The measures had been aimed toward stopping a repeat of final yr’s Hajj that noticed 1,301 individuals die in temperatures that hit 51.8 levels Celsius (125 levels Fahrenheit).
Saudi authorities stated a majority of these deaths had been amongst pilgrims who slipped into Mecca illegally and lacked entry to lodging and different companies aimed to maintain pilgrims secure and shielded from the searing desert warmth.
This Hajj season has recorded the bottom variety of pilgrims in over three many years, barring the years of Covid restrictions from 2020-2022.
Last yr, 1.8 million Muslims took half within the Hajj, in line with official figures.
Hajj permits are allotted to nations on a quota foundation and distributed to people by a lottery system.
But even for many who can safe them, the excessive prices spur many to aim the Hajj with no allow, despite the fact that they threat arrest and deportation if caught.
The stoning ritual within the Mina valley was the scene of a deadly stampede in 2015, when 2,300 individuals had been killed in one of many deadliest Hajj disasters.
Saudi Arabia earns billions of {dollars} a yr from the Hajj, and the lesser pilgrimage generally known as umrah, undertaken at different instances of the yr.
The pilgrimages are additionally a supply of status for the Saudi monarch, who is named the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques of Mecca and Medina.
The finish of the Hajj coincides with the start of Eid al-Adha, an annual feasting vacation marked by the slaughter of an animal, sometimes a goat, sheep, cow, bull or camel.
Source: www.dailysabah.com