Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims flocked to the site of Mina, a few kilometers from the Great Mosque in Mecca, on Monday. It is to fulfill one of the main rites of Hajj, the great Muslim pilgrimage in western Saudi Arabia.
Under a scorching sun, worshipers traveled on foot or in air-conditioned buses to Mina, where they will spend the night before climbing Mount Arafat on Tuesday, the highest point for one of the world’s largest religious gatherings.
“It was a worthwhile experience,” said Salim Ibrahim, a 39-year-old Nigerian, ignoring the 45-degree Celsius temperature. “Even if the heat gets stronger, I will perform Hajj again,” he said.
“Tawaf”
On Sunday, worshipers will sleep in air-conditioned white tents at Mina, after performing the ritual “tawaf” or circumambulation around the Kaaba, the giant black cube that Muslims around the world return to pray.
The site is located in a valley overlooked by rocky mountains, seven kilometers from the Grand Mosque of Mecca, Islam’s holiest city.
Most of the pilgrims chose to get there by bus, while a few pedestrians walked slowly in the hot sun, carrying umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun.
It’s “a dream come true,” said Jamila Hamoudi, a 62-year-old Moroccan teacher wearing a hat in her country’s colors.
Registration visit
The Hajj consists of a series of coded rituals performed over several days in the center of Mecca and its environs, one of the five pillars of Islam. Every Muslim should do it at least once in his lifetime if he can.
Those who do it are given the honorific title of “Hajj” which inspires respect.
This year, the pilgrimage is expected to be the largest in history, surpassing the 2.5 million visitors reached in 2019, according to Saudi officials.
In 2020 and 2021, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, only a few thousand pilgrims were welcomed into the kingdom before last year’s quota was raised to 926,000.
Under high security
Hajj takes place under strict security to prevent a repeat of the tragedies that marred its history. A stampede in 2015 caused a remarkable 2,300 deaths, but no major incident has been reported since then.
Officials said helicopters and drones equipped with artificial intelligence have been used to monitor the pilgrims going to Mina. 11-passenger autonomous buses using the same technology are in service.
Visitors who fail to obtain the required permit to perform Hajj face up to six months in prison and a fine of 50,000 riyals ($13,300).
Heat, mortal danger
One of the main dangers for pilgrims is high temperatures in one of the hottest parts of the world. The Saudi Ministry of Health called on those at risk to stay indoors by noon and set up four hospitals and 26 health centers in Mina.
Before leaving Makkah, Habiba from Morocco, who was performing Hajj with her husband, became ill due to the heat. “The climate here is very hot compared to Morocco and we feel tired,” said her husband, a 62-year-old businessman, as he poured water on his head near the Grande Mosque.
A large number of fire engines were stationed at the huge Mina camp.
Mount Arafat
After a night at Mina, pilgrims spend several hours on Tuesday praying and reciting the Koran at Mount Arafat, where the Prophet Muhammad is said to have delivered his last sermon, the main stage of the Hajj.
“I feel indescribable joy. I feel like I will be born again,” said Fawaz Abdullah, a 48-year-old Syrian engineer looking for a tent to spend the night with his wife.
On Wednesday, worshipers stoning Satan, throwing stones at places symbolizing Satan, before returning to Mecca for a final pilgrimage to the Kaaba.
This article was published automatically. Sources: ats / afp
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