Seeking forgiveness from Allah, millions of Muslim pilgrims ascended Friday, October 3, Mount `Arafat, east of the holy city of Makkah, in the climax of hajj after spending a night of meditation and introspection in the tent city of Mina.
Share It :
"I thank God for this indescribable feeling" of being in the Muslim holy land, the soft-spoken Iman Izzidine, 42, who has fled Syria's civil war, told Agence France Presse (AFP).
"I will pray to God for victory and for Syria to return better than before," she said, her voice breaking and tears welling in her brown eyes.
Pilgrims flocked to `Arafat, also known as “Mount of Mercy”, from early morning, after spending a night of meditation and introspection in the tent city of Mina which marked the first leg of their five-day spiritual journey.
Chanting "Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik (Here I am answering Your call, O God)," the pilgrims took their way to `Arafat, where Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) delivered his last sermon 14 centuries ago.
Following the lead of the Prophet Sunnah, the pilgrims performed noon and afternoon prayer “Dhuhr and Asr” combined and shortened at the Namera Mosque.
Pilgrims spend the day on the plains of `Arafat in the most essential pillar of hajj.
For the rest of the day, the pilgrims supplicate to God to forgive their sins and grant them mercy, and pray for fellow Muslims, and for unity and peace around the world.
Pilgrims then will descend by train back to Muzdalifah, halfway between Arafat and Mina, where they will take part in the symbolic stoning of the devil at Jamrat Al-Aqaba and spend the night.
On Saturday, all pilgrims head back to Mina, where they sacrifice animals to mark the beginning of the four-day `Eid Al-Adha.
Muslims who perform hajj properly return to their homes having all their sins washed away as promised by Prophet Muhammad.
Every year, Makkah sees millions of Muslims from around the world pouring to perform hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam.
Hajj’s ceremonies are meant to symbolize the essential concepts of the Islamic faith, and to commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham and his family.
Every able-bodied adult Muslim who can financially afford the trip must perform hajj at least once in a lifetime.
Unity
At the Mount of Mercy, Muslims from all nationalities converged to pray for forgiveness and acceptance.
“It is a great spiritual experience for me. This is my first time. It is a dream come true for me because in Jordan only the elderly are allowed to go on Haj,” Omar Obaidat, a journalist from Amman, Jordan, told Arab News.
“I came here as part of the media delegation and that is how, even though I am only in my 30s, I am getting this wonderful chance. I am happy and excited. Saudi Arabia is a great place and all the negative stuff that I read and heard are untrue. The Saudi authorities are handling the hajj arrangements with utmost care. They deserve praise.”
Habib Qaiser from Karachi, Pakistan, said he came to seek forgiveness and live and pious life.
“I am here to seek atonement for all the sins that I have committed in my 59 years,” he said.
“Allah has given me the chance to correct myself, my ways. If I am good, then I can become a role model for other members in my large family. I am so thankful to Allah for choosing me to be among the people performing Haj this year,” he added.
There are many young pilgrims this year from the United Kingdom, who feel excited and privileged to be performing hajj this year.
“The transportation from Makkah to Mina has been an easy ride compared to previous years,” Yusuf Matadar from the Council of British Hajis (CBH), the body providing on-the-ground support to British pilgrims, said.
“We arrived in record time at Fajr by coach and those undertaking the walking Haj arrived a few hours later.”
Altaf Arif from Arif Haj & Umrah Services based in Nelson, United Kingdom, said: “The transportation to Mina has been extremely efficient this year. Our group has arrived. Many are first timers and are resting ahead of Arafat on Friday.” /SR
