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More than two million Muslims mark Eid al-Adha in Saudi
MINA , Saudi Arabia, Aug 21, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – More than two million
Muslims took part in the symbolic stoning of the devil Tuesday in Saudi
Arabia, the last major ritual of the hajj pilgrimage that heralds the start
of the Eid al-Adha feast.
Muslims on the annual hajj pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam,
made their way across the Mina valley of the western Saudi Arabian Mecca
province, many carrying pebbles in plastic bottles.
Pilgrims clad in white threw seven stones each at a pillar symbolising
satan, shouting “Allahu akbar” (“God is greatest”) under the watchful eyes of
security forces.
Large fans sprayed water over the crowd as temperatures climbed to 44
degrees Celsius (111 Fahrenheit).
“Thank God it hasn’t been too crowded this year. There hasn’t been a big
rush,” said Mohammed Osman, 27, who regularly attends hajj.
Mina was the site of a 2015 stampede which saw more than 2,300 pilgrims
crushed or suffocated to death. Authorities have since reinforced safety and
security measures.
“We are under God’s protection,” said May Khalifa, a 37-year-old Egyptian
Muslim living in Riyadh.
“Despite the exhaustion, I’m enjoying my first hajj,” she said, lifting
her small bag of stones.
The hajj is one of the world’s largest Muslim gatherings and drew this
year nearly 2.4 million pilgrims to Saudi holy sites.
– Security, public health measures –
Roads from Muzdalifah — another holy site where pilgrims spent Monday
night — to Mina were littered with plastic water bottles as sanitation
workers scrambled to remove them.
Bangladeshi Moueeneddine Ahmed, 35, complained of the scorching heat but
said he was “very excited” to take part in the stoning of the devil ritual.
In keeping with customs he said he would then “shave his head” and trade
the white seamless robe he wore for the hajj for his “normal clothes”.
Ahmed also praised the Saudi government for keeping the peace throughout
the hajj. “There’s a lot of security. Very disciplined,” he said.
Tens of thousands of security forces, including police and civil defence,
have been deployed for hajj, according to Saudi authorities.
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman made the trip to Mina on Tuesday and was seen
on state-run television observing worshippers from the window of a high-rise.
And in a rare move he took to Twitter to say it was a “great honour” to
welcome the pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
The hajj retraces the steps of the Prophet Mohammed on his last
pilgrimage to Mecca.
It is one of the five pillars of Islam which every Muslim is required to
complete at least once in their lifetime if they are healthy enough and have
the means to do so.
Muslim tradition holds that pilgrims must throw seven stones at a pillar
representing satan on the first day of Eid al-Adha, which comes after two
days of prayer and meditation.
The stoning ritual is not without risk, as millions of pilgrims converge
on a tight space.
Since 2004, authorities have expanded the site and replaced the pillar by
walls to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims, who can now reach Mina
via multiple bridges.
Muslims traditionally slaughter sheep for the three-day Eid al-Adha, a
tribute to the prophet Abraham’s sacrifice of a lamb after God spared
Ishmael, his son.
They will consume some of the meat and give the rest to poor people
unable to buy food.
Pilgrims can purchase coupons from the Saudi government, which organises
the slaughter and freezing of the meat to avoid public health problems.
Revenues from the coupons are considered “zakat”, or a charity donation,
another pillar of Islam.
BSS/AFP/RY/1708 hrs