PILGRIMS ALL SET FOR MASYAIR
Masyair said to be most challenging phase of haj
MALAYSIAN pilgrims will start moving out of Makkah for Masyair, the most challenging phase of the haj, this Sunday from 7am.
The transfer of 30,200 Malaysian pilgrims will take all day. There will be three trips involving 22 buses per maktab, with the last bus expected to arrive in Arafah at night.
There are 12 maktab for pilgrims, occupying 18 apartment buildings.
Tabung Haji (TH) Malaysian 1439H haj delegation head Datuk Seri Syed Saleh Syed Abdul Rahman said the buses would leave Makkah for Arafah earlier in the morning compared with previous years, when pilgrims would start leaving only from 11am.
“The TH advance team comprising 150 personnel will leave earlier by a day, on Saturday. The new, cooler air-conditioned tents in Arafah have made this earlier arrangement possible this year,” he told Malaysian media after a yassin recital, solat hajat and doa
selamat here for a smooth Masyair this year.
Though Arafah is only 20km southeast from here, the journey will be challenging, as close to three million other pilgrims from around the world will also be going there.
Masyair refers to the massive movement of pilgrims from Makkah to Arafah for wukuf, and then onwards to Muzdalifah, then Mina.
In Muzdalifah, pilgrims will collect pebbles for the stoning ritual to be carried out in Mina. They will stay overnight in tents in Arafah and around three nights in Mina.
Syed Saleh said wukuf in Arafah represented the pinnacle of haj, the most auspicious day in Islam.
“Efforts will be made to ensure all, including the ill and elderly, make it for wukuf, as failure to be present in Arafah on Aug 20, or the 9th of Zulhijjah, will invalidate a pilgrim’s haj.”
It is said that during wukuf, or the Day of Arafah, the skies would open up and Allah will accept sincere prayers and repentance.
Syed Saleh said the Arafah sermon would be delivered by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of religious affairs, Datuk Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa, at one of the pilgrims’ tents here.
He said from Arafah, pilgrims would move on to Muzdalifah on Aug 20 after Maghrib prayers and stay there for half a night before moving on to Mina.
“Pilgrims are expected to arrive in Mina by 7am or 8am on Aug 21. In Mina, the stoning ritual over four days will involve walking about 7.5km from their tents to the jamarat, or pillars, and back.
“Malaysian pilgrims are advised to strictly follow the schedule given to prevent overcrowding and untoward incidents.
“The time given to us for the ritual by the Saudi government is from Asar prayers till night. This is good as it is not as hot then and does not interfere with prayer and meal times.”
He advised pilgrims to move in groups and approach TH medical team members stationed along the way to the jamarat should they encounter difficulties.
On the challenges, Syed Saleh said there were many, including cramped conditions, blistering heat, limited number of toilets, heavy traffic, and, for the elderly and disabled, getting in and out of buses.
“Temperatures can reach up to 50°C in the daytime so pilgrims need to conserve their energy and not expose themselves to the sun unnecessarily.
“There are only about 20 toilets to 3,000 pilgrims in Mina, and the the tents will be cramped. Pilgrims need to be prepared to face these challenges.”