Hajj pilgrims in ‘stoning the devil’ ritual

MECCA: Hundreds of thousands of Muslims yesterday participated in the symbolic “stoning the devil” ritual at the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Mecca.

Large numbers of security forces were deployed across the Saudi desert valley of Mina, a tent city located around 7km north-east of Mecca, to prevent any stampede during the threeday stoning rite.

The ritual was ongoing as Muslims around the world celebrated Eid al-Adha, Islam’s holiest festival.

The pilgrims, clad in seamless pieces of white cloth, chanted “God is the greatest” each time they cast a pebble. Their garments symbolised equality, religious unity and pursuit of spiritual renewal.

The rite is an emulation of Prophet Abraham’s casting of pebbles at the devil, who is believed to have tried to tempt him into disobeying God’s command to sacrifice his son.

After finishing the ritual on the first day of Eid al-Adha, male pilgrims traditionally shave or cut their hair and change out of their seamless robes. Women cut a lock of their hair.

Male and female pilgrims then walk around the cubeshaped Kaaba, to which Muslims direct their prayers.

They then return to Mina to stay overnight and throw stones for two more days.

In 2015, hundreds of pilgrims were crushed to death in the ritual, a tragedy that triggered tensions between Saudi Arabia and its regional rival Iran.

About 769 Muslim pilgrims died in that stampede, according to Saudi official figures.

Other independent reports, however, indicated around 2 000 pilgrims died in the crush.

Iran said more than 460 of its citizens were killed in that disaster.

Around 2.3 million Muslims are attending this year’s Hajj, according to official Saudi figures.

This year’s Hajj comes amid a major crisis between a Saudiled Arab bloc and Qatar over the tiny emirate’s alleged support for extremist groups, a charge Qatar denies.

Qatar has accused Saudi Arabia of creating obstacles for Qatari pilgrims, a claim Riyadh rejected.

Two weeks before the Hajj began on Wednesday, Saudi King Salman ordered the opening of his country’s border with Qatar to allow in Qatari pilgrims.

About 1 564 Qatari pilgrims are attending this year’s Hajj, according to Saudi officials.

Devout Muslims are expected to perform the Hajj, one of Islam’s five pillars, at least once in their lifetime, provided they are fit enough and have the financial means to do so. – dpa

Worshippers pray during the Hajj pilgrimage on Mount Arafat, near Mecca.