Nearly two million pilgrims on Saturday gathered at Mount Arafat to undertake the most significant ceremony of the Hajj in a spirit of devotion and concentration.
The pilgrims performed the Dhuhur and Asr prayers in the Namira Mosque, shortened and combined with a single call (adhan) but two iqama, following the Arafat Khutba (sermon), which was translated into about twenty languages.
At twilight, they traveled to Muzdalifah to complete the Al Maghrib and Isha prayers.
Mount Arafat, also known as Jabal al-Rahma (pity), is approximately 20 kilometers from Mecca and is the most important stage of the pilgrimage.
Mount Arafat, also known as Jabal al-Rahma, is approximately 20 kilometers from Mecca and is the most important stage of the pilgrimage.
On Sunday, the first day of Eid al-Adha in Saudi Arabia, pilgrims will begin at dawn to execute the ritual of stoning the stelae at the Mina site, throwing the seven stones of “Jamrat al-Aqaba”.
Pilgrims will then shave and trim their hair before offering the Eid al-Adha “Hady” sacrifice. They then carry out the “Tawaf al-Ifadha” before returning to Mina to spend the night for the remaining “Tashriq” days.
This year, there are 34,000 Moroccan pilgrims, 22,500 of whom are monitored by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, and 11,500 by travel agencies.