As temperatures climb, pilgrims ascend Mount Arafat in Hajj climax
Mount Arafat, Saudi Arabia (AFP):
Hundreds of thousands of Muslim pilgrims prayed at Mount Arafat in searing heat on Tuesday at the height of the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
Worshippers crowded the rocky rise and surrounding area from before dawn and when the sun appeared, it revealed vast numbers of white-robed worshippers thronging the sacred site.
The ritual is the high point of the annual pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam, that officials say could be the biggest on record after three years of Covid restrictions.
“I’m very happy. It’s a moment I have been waiting for my entire life,” said Fadia Abdallah, 67, from Egypt, wearing a white abaya and sitting on the ground beneath an umbrella.
Mount Arafat is said to be the place where the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) stood to deliver his Last Sermon — often referred to as a “Charter of Human Rights.”
Although high temperatures have been a constant challenge for the pilgrims, they continue to perform the prescribed rituals with extraordinary resilience. Pilgrims come from around the world, performing the Hajj with the mercury hitting 44 degrees Celsius (111 degrees Fahrenheit) before midday. The Hajj is physically demanding, yet spiritually fulfilling, hence drawing millions led on by the same faith in One God to throng the Sacred City.
As the pilgrims prayed and recited from the Quran, helicopters hovered low overhead, monitoring the crowds to prevent any accident or deal with any emergency in the congregation of a whopping 2.5 million.
Tree-shaped water towers sprayed cooling showers on the visitors, and free water bottles and snacks were handed out from large trucks.
Six field hospitals with more than 300 beds have been arranged in Arafat, Yasser Bair, a Saudi defence ministry official, told the state-run Al-Ekhbariya TV.
“I can’t believe I’m God’s guest,” said Rahma, a 57-year-old Libyan housewife, fighting back tears as she spoke.
The hajj is a life goal for many Muslims, who are expected to perform the pilgrimage at least once if they are financially and physically capable.
Stoning the devil
The pilgrims pray for forgiveness and salvation all day at Arafat.
On Wednesday, they will gather pebbles and hurl them at three giant concrete walls in the symbolic ‘Rami’ (stoning of the devil) ritual, which signifies the rejection of all evil.
Then they will return to Mekkah’s Grand Mosque — Islam’s holiest site — for a final ‘Tawaf’ or circum-ambulation of the Ka’aba, which in Islamic tradition is the First House of worship appointed by God on sacred land in the very heart of the earth.
After three years of Covid restrictions, a record number of more than 2.5 million pilgrims were expected to join this year’s Hajj, one of the world’s largest religious gatherings and a source of legitimacy for Saudi Arabia’s royal rulers.
It is the biggest Hajj since Saudi authorities scrapped a traditional requirement for women to be accompanied by a male guardian in 2021.
At this year’s Hajj, which follows the lunar calendar and is not always held in summer, a maximum age limit has also been removed, allowing thousands of elderly to attend.
American engineer Ahmed Ahmadine said he felt “blessed” to be able to take part in the pilgrimage.
“I try to focus on praying for my family and friends,” said the 37-year-old.
“This is an opportunity that will not be repeated.”
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