By SYED FAISAL ALI & SIRAJ WAHAB | ARAB
NEWS
Published: Nov 6, 2011
23:40 Updated: Nov 6, 2011 23:40
MINA: Nearly 3 million pilgrims chanting “Labbaik” stoned
the devil in a symbolic rejection of temptation after streaming
into the sprawling Jamarat Complex on Sunday.
The first day of
the four-day ritual passed off in a very organized and smooth
manner.
The Department
of General Statistics and Information said on Sunday that there was
a 5 percent increase in the number of pilgrims this year compared
to last year.
The authorities
had reported earlier that the number of foreign pilgrims hit record
high this year reaching 1.83 million. The total number of pilgrrims
this year reached 2,927,717 compared to 2,789,399 last year.
Tension and
anxiety was not seen on the faces of pilgrims who had completed
what has been considered the most strenuous of Haj rites. Pilgrims
were happy with the spacious new Jamarat Complex. They all said in
one voice that after the opening of all floors of the new Jamarat
Bridge, crowding has become a thing of the past.
Qatari pilgrim
Suleiman Al-Fatih said: “This is my first Haj and I completed all
the rituals with ease and without any trouble. This is really
unbelievable that 3 million people performed the ritual without any
incident whatsoever. The Jamarat Complex is just amazing.”
“It went
super-perfect,” said Pakistani businessman Nayab Gohar, a longtime
resident of Jeddah.
“The
arrangements were excellent,” he told Arab News after completing
the stoning ritual. “We were particularly touched by one young
Saudi who went out of his way to help us and other pilgrims while
we were coming back to Mina from Muzdalifah.”
Shafiqul Islam,
senior vice president at Bangladesh's Shahjalal Islamic Bank, was
excited after completing the stoning ritual. “This is only symbolic
but it carries a huge meaning in our lives,” he told Arab News on
the way back to his camp in Mina's Souk Al-Arab Street. “When we
are throwing those stones, we are actually taking a vow to start a
new life, a life of purity and austerity.”
He called it a
cathartic experience. “All our lives we have been led astray by
satan, and today we want him to know that we have embarked on the
path of virtue and piety, the path shown by our Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him). We have taken a resolve to turn him away at
every direction, and we will,” Shafiqul Islam added.
“By the grace of
the Almighty the stoning was peaceful and smooth and everybody is
safe and sound. What more can we expect?” said Sami Al-Qarni from
Oman.
The pilgrims
hurled pebbles at the huge pillar known as Jamrat Al-Kubra (big
Satan) on Sunday. The ritual will continue for another three days
with pilgrims hurling seven pebbles each at all three pillars
symbolizing satan. The last day of stoning is voluntary as pilgrims
are free to leave Mina before sunset on the third day of
stoning.
A large number
of vigilant and cooperating security personnel monitored pilgrims
during the stoning and guided them into the right direction.
Male pilgrims in
the two-piece seamless white robes worn during the Haj and women
covered head to foot except for their hands and faces chanted “God
is great” while casting the pebbles.
“This ritual
gives me moral strength. Right now I feel as though I'm defeating
satan,” said Rahimuddin Yar Khan, a Pakistani.
“Hurry up,
pilgrims,” security officials called out through loudspeakers, to
prevent crowds from building up next to the pillars.
Afterward,
pilgrims shaved their heads or trimmed their hair.
Sunday also
marked the start of Eid Al-Adha.
“Thank God that
we are doing Haj this year. May God protect all Arab and Islamic
countries and peace and stability is restored in the region,” said
Mona Abu Dawood, a young Saudi.
Another pilgrim,
Jordanian Qadir Al-Zarqawi, felt better and satisfied after stoning
the satan.
“The Jamarat
Complex has been designed and built in such a way that movement is
more fluid and the organization is better,” said Asif Ahmad, an
Indian.
For another
Indian pilgrim, Ayaz Qureshi, the stoning ritual symbolizes the
rejection of all enemies of Islam.
“When I was
throwing those stones, I had in my mind the modern-day Pharaohs who
have created mayhem in the Muslim world,” he said. “Since we
Muslims feel helpless, this ritual has a calming effect on us. We
may not be able to stop the juggernaut of anti-Islam forces, but we
can and we should be able to differentiate between our friends and
our enemies. Those I remembered while stoning the devil ritual were
our enemies and I need not elaborate.”
Nearly 1.83
million pilgrims have arrived in the Kingdom from abroad, marking a
1.5 percent increase from last year, said Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled
Al-Faisal. Several hundred thousand Saudis and foreign residents in
the Kingdom were also granted permits to join them, he added.