Mount Arafat: Pilgrims from around the world gathered before dawn on Wednesday in the valley of Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia for a day of prayer that marks the pinnacle of the annual Haj pilgrimage.
Some two million pilgrims packed should-to-shoulder for an emotional day of repentance and supplication. Many wept as they raised their hands toward the sky, asking for forgiveness and praying for loved ones.
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It was on this day some 1,400 years ago that Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) delivered his final sermon from Mount Arafat during the Haj, calling for equality and for Muslims to unite.
Throughout the day, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims scaled the hill and prayed facing the Kaaba, the cube-shaped structure in Makkah that observant Muslims around the world face in prayer five times a day.
Muslims believe prayer on this day at Mount Arafat, about 20 kilometres east of Makkah, is their best chance to erase past sins and start anew.
The five-day Haj began on Tuesday with the shedding of symbols of materialism — men donned white terry cloth garments meant to symbolise humility and equality while women give up make-up and perfume, covering their heads and wearing loose-fitting clothing.
As every year, for many pilgrims it is the first time they have travelled outside their country, having spent years saving for what for most is an expensive pilgrimage. Once back home, they will be referred to in their communities with the respectful title of “Haji” for having completed the pilgrimage.
The Haj is the largest gathering of Muslims worldwide, drawing to it people from different social classes and religious sects, with Sunnis and Shiites praying side by side.
The day spent in Mount Arafat is one of the few times during the Haj that all pilgrims are in the same location at the same time — and is often described as the most moving experience of the Haj.
Many pilgrims prayed for peace in the Middle East countries ravaged by war and chaos.
“What is left of our Arab nation? Iraq was the symbol of power and civilisation. What happened to it now? Look at Syria: the refugees are greater in number than the pilgrims here,” said Egyptian Mohammad Rizq, 65.
Before arriving at Mount Arafat, pilgrims circled the Kaaba. Next, they traced the path of Hajar, the wife of the Prophet Abraham, who Muslims believe ran between two hills seven times searching for water for her dying son. Tradition holds that God then brought forth a spring that runs to this day, and Muslims drink from it during the Haj.
The Haj is physically demanding and involves walking long distances, so those with disabilities and the elderly are often pushed in wheelchairs.
Saudi authorities say there are 1.4 million international visitors for the Haj this year. At least 600,000 pilgrims from the kingdom itself are also expected to take part.
