A Muslim pilgrim prays on the Plains of Arafat, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, near Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Friday, July 8, 2022.
Amr Nabil / AP
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Amr Nabil / AP
A Muslim pilgrim prays on the Plains of Arafat, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, near Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Friday, July 8, 2022.
Amr Nabil / AP
MOUNT ARAFAT, Saudi Arabia – Hundreds of thousands of Muslim pilgrims from around the world raised their hands to the sky and prayed for repentance on the sacred Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia on Friday , a day of intense worship considered the culmination of the annual hajj.
Many stood shoulder to shoulder, foot after foot, on this emotional day of supplication in the desert valley, where Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon, calling for equality and unity. among Muslims.
The experience brought many pilgrims to tears. Muslims believe that praying on this day at Mount Arafat, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) east of the holy city of Mecca, is their best chance for salvation and spiritual renewal. Pilgrims set out for Arafat before dawn, chanting as they walked. They remained there until nightfall in deep contemplation and worship.
“I feel very close to God,” said Zakaria Mohammad, an Egyptian pilgrim praying as the sky brightened over the hilltop. “He gave me such joy. This is how I feel now – joy, great joy.”
Men wear white sheets that unfortunately resemble a shroud, while women wear conservative clothing and headscarves, their faces exposed.
Hajj is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for all Muslims who are physically and financially able to make the journey, taking the faithful along the path that the Prophet Muhammad took for about 1,400 last year.
“God brought me here,” said Khadije Isaac, who had traveled to Mount Arafat from Nigeria, her voice moving. “I can’t describe how happy I am.”
Strict pandemic restrictions have ramped up the event over the past two years, effectively canceling one of the world’s largest and most diverse gatherings and devastating many pious Muslims, who waited a lifetime to make the journey. This year’s pilgrimage marks the biggest since the virus hit, although attendance of 1 million worshipers is still less than half the number of people before the pandemic.
All pilgrims selected to perform this year’s hajj are under the age of 65 and have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Pilgrims spend five days performing a series of rituals involving the Prophet Muhammad and the prophets Ibrahim and Ismail, or Abraham and Ishmael in the Bible, before him. The ceremonies begin Thursday with a circumambulation of the Kaaba, the black cube at the center of Mecca’s Great Mosque, which Muslims around the world face in daily prayers. theirs wherever they are in the world.
Muslim pilgrims pray atop a rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plains of Arafat, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, near Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Friday, May 8 7 year 2022.
Amr Nabil / AP
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Muslim pilgrims pray atop a rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy, on the Plains of Arafat, during the annual hajj pilgrimage, near Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Friday, May 8 7 year 2022.
Amr Nabil / AP
Around sunset on Friday, pilgrims will march or take a bus 9 kilometers (5.5 miles) west to the rocky desert of Muzdalifa, where they brush the area for the cobblestones to perform the hurling. stone symbol of the devil. That ceremony will take place on Saturday in the small village of Mina, where Muslims believe the devil tried to force Ibrahim out of submission to God.
Pilgrims throw stones at the devil to signify overcoming temptation. Ceremonies are a notorious bottleneck for overcrowded crowds. In 2016, thousands of pilgrims were crushed to death in a gruesome stampede. Saudi authorities have never released a final death toll.
In their most notable attempt to improve accessibility, the Saudis built a high-speed rail line to carry masses of people back and forth between the holy sites. Pilgrims enter through special electronic gates. Tens of thousands of police officers were present to secure areas and control crowds.
With so many people from many places crammed together, public health is a big concern. Saudi Arabia’s Health Ministry urged pilgrims to consider wearing masks to limit the spread of the coronavirus, even though the government lifted the mask-wearing rule and other virus precautions last month.
The department also recommends that pilgrims drink water and be aware of the signs of heat stroke in the desert, where temperatures can exceed 40 degrees Celsius (105 degrees Fahrenheit).
After the hajj is over, men are said to shave their heads and women will cut a lock of their hair to show renewal.
Around the world, Muslims will mark the end of their pilgrimage with Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice. The holiday commemorates the prophet Ibrahim willing to sacrifice his son Ismail at the request of God. Muslims traditionally slaughter sheep and cattle, dividing the meat among the needy, friends and relatives.
