Haj pilgrimage reaches climax
MAKKAH , August 20, 2018
Over two million Muslim pilgrims gathered at Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia as the annual Haj pilgrimage reached its climax today.
Convoys of pilgrims ascended the Holy Arafat in an atmosphere of faith and tranquillity, praying to the Almighty for forgiveness, mercy and repentance, said a Saudi Press Agency report.
Pilgrims clad in white robes signifying a state of purity spent the night in an encampment around the hill.
Worshippers from around the world began arriving in the kingdom during the last weeks for the five-day ritual - a once-in-a-lifetime religious duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it.
The total number of pilgrims from inside and outside of Saudi Arabia arriving in Makkah until 5 am today reached 2,368,873, according to the General Authority for Statistics.
Yesterday, worshippers braved the rain to begin the pilgrimage. The downpour started just after dusk and laster for less than an hour with everything returning to normal soon.
Alongside the roads leading to the Holy Arafat, traffic police being supported by security men and scouts are exerting best efforts to ensure smooth movement of pilgrims, said SPA.
Eid al-Adha, or feast of the sacrifice, begins on Tuesday when pilgrims begin three days of casting stones at walls in a symbolic renunciation of the devil.
The authorities have been preparing for months to ensure pilgrims’ safety, Health Minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah told Reuters, with more than 30,000 health workers operating 25 hospitals and offering free medical services, including complex procedures like open heart surgery.
