Muslims from around the world congregated on Saturday at Mount Arafat south of Makkah for the most important day of the Hajj.
They walked from the tent city of Mina to the hillside area of Arafat, where the Prophet Mohammed delivered his final sermon about 1,400 years ago, calling for equality and unity among Muslims.
The ritual at Mount Arafat, known as the Hill of Mercy, is considered the culmination of the Hajj.
It is often the most memorable for pilgrims, who stand shoulder to shoulder, feet to feet, asking God for mercy, blessings, prosperity and good health. The mount is about 20 kilometres south-east of Makkah.
“Despite the scorching heat, we feel very blessed to have reached this point in our life,” Khalifa Al Hammadi, a pilgrim from the UAE, told media.
“It feels like we’ve lived all our life to reach this point and all we can do is pray for forgiveness from God Almighty.”
Hajj is one of the largest religious gatherings on earth. The rituals officially started on Friday when pilgrims moved from Makkah’s Grand Mosque to Mina, a desert plain just outside the city filled with air-conditioned tents.
Saudi authorities expect the number of pilgrims this year to exceed two million, approaching pre-pandemic levels.
As Muslims around the world mark Eid Al Adha, they do so sombrely with no prospects of a ceasefire in Gaza.
While Palestinians in the coastal enclave were not able to travel to Makkah for Hajj this year because of the closure of the Rafah crossing in May, those who evacuated before the final border closure were able to travel under Saudi Arabia’s King Salman’s invitation.
“We thank the leadership and the people of Saudi Arabia for this generous initiative to alleviate our suffering by inviting us on this pilgrimage journey. Perhaps this will help us find some solace,” Abdullah Hassan, a Palestinian pilgrim, told media.
He is one of a group of 1,000 family members of Palestinians who were killed or wounded in Gaza invited to Saudi Arabia by King Salman to perform the Hajj this year.
Under the initiative, 2,000 pilgrims received the king’s invitation.
During the day in Arafat, many of the Muslims will also attend a sermon at the Namirah Mosque. The sermon will be delivered by well-known Saudi cleric Maher Al Muaiqaly, and interpreted in 50 languages.
“The number of languages for interpreting the sermon on the Day of Arafah due Saturday has increased to 50 to impart moderate Islam and promote affinity, fraternity and co-operation among humanity. The interpretations target about 1 billion people across the globe,” said Sheikh Abdulrahman Al Sudais, the Head of the Religious Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques.
After Saturday’s worship in Mount Arafat, pilgrims will travel on foot and bus a few kilometres to a site known as Muzdalifah to collect pebbles that they will use in the symbolic stoning of pillars representing the devil back in Mina. They will stay overnight in Muzdalifah in the open air until Sunday.
Pilgrims then return to Mina for three days, coinciding with the Eid Al Adha holiday, when Muslims around the world slaughter livestock and distribute the meat to poorer people, if they are financially able to do so.
Afterward visiting Mina, the pilgrims return to Makkah for a final circumambulation, known as the Farewell Tawaf.
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