Early this morning, Saturday, the 9th of Dhu al-Hijjah, more than 1.5 million pilgrims began their journey to the plains of Arafat to perform the pinnacle of the Hajj pilgrimage. This follows their overnight stay in Mina on the Day of Tarwiyah.
The Saudi authorities have announced the arrival of over 1.5 million pilgrims from various countries around the world. There have been increasing official warnings about the weather conditions, with the Ministry of Health stating that high temperatures pose one of the biggest challenges for this year’s Hajj.
The Ministry of Interior previously announced the completion of transporting pilgrims from Mecca and the Grand Mosque to Mina, where they stayed overnight in preparation for heading to Arafat.
The ministry’s security spokesperson confirmed the imposition of a tight security cordon around the holy sites until the end of the Hajj season. He also mentioned that more than a quarter of a million people without Hajj permits were turned away.
Minister of Information Salman Al-Dosari emphasized the government’s fundamental role in organizing Hajj and ensuring that every pilgrim receives their rights according to official procedures.
In response to a question from Al Jazeera regarding the “No Hajj Without Permit” campaign launched by the Saudi authorities, he stated, “There are those who wish to deprive pilgrims with official permits of their rights, and no one accepts the usurpation of these rights.”
Mount Arafat is located on the road between the cities of Mecca and Taif, about 10 kilometers from Mina, where pilgrims spent the Day of Tarwiyah yesterday, the 8th of Dhu al-Hijjah.
The pilgrims are scheduled to perform the combined and shortened Dhuhr and Asr prayers at Arafat, listen to the Arafah sermon from the Namirah Mosque, and continue their supplications before heading to Muzdalifah after sunset. There, they will spend the night and collect pebbles for the stoning ritual.
On the morning of the 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah, the pilgrims will return to Mina to perform the stoning of the Jamarat al-Aqabah, shave or trim their hair, and slaughter their sacrificial animals, marking the minor state of ritual purity (Tahallul). They will then proceed to the Kaaba in the Grand Mosque in Mecca to perform the Tawaf al-Ifadah.
source: lualuatv
