MAKKAH: Hundreds of thousands of robed faithful hurled pebbles in the “stoning of the devil” ritual as the biggest Hajj pilgrimage since the start of the pandemic draws to a close on Wednesday in Saudi Arabia.
From dawn in Mina, vast crowds of Muslim pilgrims fervently hurled pebbles at three concrete monoliths symbolizing Satan, before heading to Makkah for the final act of “tawaf” – circumambulating the sacred Kaaba.
With over 1.8 million people taking part, this Hajj marks the first unrestricted gathering since the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. It falls short of the record-breaking 2.5 million participants witnessed in the pre-pandemic Hajj of 2019. Pilgrims have braved not only massive crowds but also scorching temperatures, with the mercury soaring to 48 degrees Celsius on Tuesday during the prayers at Mount Arafat, and an expected high of 47 degrees in Mina on Wednesday.
Pilgrims Perform Hajj Rituals
As helicopters buzzed overhead, the streets of Mina overflowed with pilgrims. Meanwhile, in Makkah, the Grand Mosque witnessed an early morning surge of pilgrims who enthusiastically congratulated each other on completing the sacred rituals. The number of attendees, announced by Saudi officials on Tuesday, possibly fell short of expectations due to the extreme heat or the associated costs, with the expenses totaling around $5,000 per person for attendance alone.
Of the 1.8 million pilgrims, more than 1.6 million are foreigners hailing from approximately 160 countries. Saudi Arabia’s King Salman issued a message extending wishes of wellbeing and prosperity to the nation, Muslims, and the world. He also announced his sponsorship of sacrificial animals for nearly 5,000 of the poorest pilgrims.
The devil-stoning ritual, performed on Wednesday, heralds the commencement of the three-day Eid ul Adha holiday. During this celebration, Muslims worldwide commemorate Prophet Ibrahim’s (AS) willingness to sacrifice his son by purchasing and slaughtering livestock.
In recent years, the Hajj, following the lunar calendar, has coincided with the Saudi summer, intensifying the desert’s already sweltering climate due to global warming. Experts have expressed concerns, predicting that temperatures reaching 50 degrees Celsius could become an annual occurrence in Saudi Arabia by the end of the century.
