Hyderabad: In this year's downsized Hajj, 1500 buses with the pilgrims reached Muzdalifah after spending a day at Arafat, where the pilgrims raised their hands in prayers asking for forgiveness, maintaining the necessary Covid protocols. The caravans of pilgrims left Arafat Square for Muzdalifah without offering Maghrib prayers after sunset on Sunday.
In Muzdalifah, the pilgrims prayed the Maghrib and Isha prayers jointly, whereas the Isha prayer is shortened to two rakats. Pilgrims also collect pebbles for the Stoning of the Devil, Ramī al-Jamarāt, (throwing pebbles at the symbolic devils) and leave for Mina in the morning.
Special arrangements were made by the administration for the pilgrims in Muzdalifah. New carpets were also laid for the pilgrims in Al-Mash'ar Mosque. It should be noted that Muzdalifah is one of the three major pilgrimage sites of Muslims and is located between Mina and Arafat.
In Mina, pilgrims will take part in the symbolic “stoning of the devil” ritual. The ritual is a recreation of Prophet Ibrahim's (AS) stoning of the devil at the three places where the latter is said to have tried to dissuade Ibrahim (AS) from obeying God’s order to sacrifice his son, Ismail (AS).
READ: Saudi Arabia to let only domestic pilgrims during Haj
Following Covid this year's Hajj pilgrimage was limited to no more than 60,000 people, all from within the kingdom following which the Hajj Committee of India also cancelled applications for Hajj 2021.
The Kingdom in a statement said that people between the ages of 18 to 65, who wish to perform the Hajj this year must be free of chronic diseases and be vaccinated. "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is honoured to host pilgrims every year, confirms that this arrangement comes out if its constant concern for the health, safety and security of pilgrims as well as the safety of their countries," the statement added.
As many as two lakh pilgrims used to visit Saudi Arabi for Hajj every year from India. This is the second year in a row that Saudi Arabia has limited the Hajj pilgrimage to Muslims inside the country.
READ: Hajj Committee cancels applications after Saudi Arabia bars foreign pilgrims
The Hajj pilgrimage is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey, and of supporting their family during their absence from home.
The pilgrimage draws two million Muslims from around the world for five days of intense worship and rituals in Mecca have never been cancelled in the nearly 90 years since the nation's establishment.
