The pilgrims prayed in Arafat, a ritual that forms the spiritual climax of the Haj. The “Wuquf” they performed there symbolizes man’s wait for the Day of Judgment.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah arrived in Mina on Thursday to see the arrangements made for Haj.
Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh, in his sermon in Arafat, warned Muslims against deviant ideology.
Muslims from around the world had converged on the plains of Arafat on Thursday hoping for a safe Haj. They kept on reciting Qura’nic verses and prayed to Allah for mercy and acceptance of their pilgrimage.
It is obligatory for all Muslims to undertake the pilgrimage at least once in a lifetime, if they are physically and financially able. The weather was pleasant and very favorable for the daylong exercise.
The cold breeze, which was troubling the pilgrims in Mina, particularly the old and the infirm, stopped blowing and the sun shone above their heads, providing an umbrella of warmth and happiness to the praying masses.
Though most of the pilgrims were sitting in a state of meditation in their camps, some ventured out to get a feel of the plains while thousands of others scaled Jabal Al-Rahmah, where the Prophet (peace be upon him) had delivered his last sermon more than 1,400 years ago. One of the major themes of that sermon was equality between the rich and the poor.
The white seamless garb of the pilgrims, called “ihram,” symbolizes purity and equality of mankind and erases all signs of class and culture. “Here nobody is rich or poor, big or small. All are equal on these plains. God will reward them on the basis of their deeds, not social, political or economic status,” said Rizwan Ahmad, a senior Indian journalist.
“I performed Haj today and Allah has promised those performing Haj that all their previous sins will be pardoned,” said Sami Al-Kotubi, an Omani national. “I vow not to indulge in any wrongdoing in future and will lead the rest of my life as per the Qur’an and the Sunnah.”
A Saudi pilgrim, Kamel Al-Bander from the bordering region of Jazan said that he prayed for the welfare, peace and tranquility of friends and relatives in Jazan. “I prayed to the Almighty to give our security personnel courage to fight back enemies and to defeat them in their nefarious designs,” he said. “We will not allow sectarian tensions to destroy us.”
Pilgrims also prayed for the peace to return in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and Sudan. “Every Muslim is duty-bound to pray for fellow Muslims. I prayed for our brethren in Iraq, in Palestine and in Sudan. There are people dying there,” said Ala Al-Marghoubi from Sudan.
Some were optimistic that the condition of Muslims will improve everywhere. “I’m sure that Allah will give us back the lost glory and prestige,” said Alauddin Khan Sherzai, a pilgrim from Swat region of Pakistan.
