Pilgrims pelt ‘the devil’ as Hajj rites near completion

Muslims who are in Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj exercise, on Wednesday, carried on with the stoning of the devil (Jamarat) which started on Tuesday, in continuation with series of mandatory spiritual activities for the annual pilgrimage.

The symbolic stoning of the devil normally coincides with the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations in many parts of the world which is occasioned by sacrifice of animals by Muslim faithful.

The over two million pilgrims who stood at the plain of Arafat  on Monday for an all-day prayers and supplications, passed the night at Muzdalifa, another location some kilometers away where they picked at least 49 pebbles ahead of the symbolic  stoning of the devil.

During the ritual, pilgrims throw pebbles at three walls (formerly pillars), called Jamarat located in Mina tent city which is situated east of Makkah.

Every pilgrim must pelt the devil within the specified days while living in Mina. It is a symbolic re-enactment of Prophet Ibrahim’s pilgrimage when he stoned three pillars representing how he resisted temptation from the devil to disobey Allah, who directed him to sacrifice his only son, Prophet Ismail.

Prophet Ibrahim had passed the test, according to scriptures, when the Almighty directed Angel Jibrin (Gabriel) to take a ram to him for the sacrifice as replacement for his son.

By law, only one of the three Jamarats, the larger one, is being pelted with seven stones on the first day, the 10th of Dhul Hijja which fell on Tuesday (21st Aug.) this year. All the three walls were pelted with seven stones each on Wednesday and the same feat would be repeated on Thursday.

Shortly after the exercise on Tuesday, many of the pilgrims proceeded to The Grand Mosque in Makka where they conducted the Tawaf (circumbulation) round the Ka’aba and Saiyy (walking between Safa and Marwa) which enabled male pilgrims change into their normal clothing from the Ihram (white rope) they wore during the two previous days.

The male pilgrims thereafter cut or shave their hair while their female counterparts clipped a portion of theirs.

Daily Trust recalled that stoning the devil had claimed thousands of lives for many years because of stampede; but the situation has changed of recent when Saudi authorities modernized the place.

At present, pilgrims have the option of stoning the devil from four separate floors while multiple bridges, lifts and escalators have been provided in the area, making it possible for the disabled and the elderly to participate. This is in addition to allocating specific time for pilgrims from various parts of the world to go for the spiritual exercise at different time.