6/16/2024–|Last updated: 6/16/202404:27 PM (Mecca time)
Pilgrims to the Holy House of God began arriving at dawn today, Sunday, at Mina to stone Jamarat al-Aqaba and slaughter the sacrificial animal, on the first day of the blessed Eid al-Adha, in preparation for decommissioning by shaving or shortening their hair, before the Tawaf of Ifaadah and Sa’i, through which the greater decomposition is completed, and everything that was forbidden to them during the decomposition is permitted to them. Their ihram.
After the pilgrims finish stoning Jamrat al-Aqaba with “seven pebbles,” the rituals of sacrifice begin for them on this day, as they begin by slaughtering their sacrificial animal, then by shaving their heads, then circumambulating the Ancient House and sa’i between Safa and Marwah.
After that, the pilgrims continue to complete their rituals, and they spend the days of Tashreeq in Mina, remembering God often and thanking Him for those who are upon them for Hajj, and they complete throwing the three Jamarat, starting with the smallest, then the middle, then the largest, each with “seven pebbles.”
As the sun set yesterday, Saturday, crowds of pilgrims departed from Arafat, the major pillar of Hajj, to Muzdalifah. They performed the Maghrib and Isha prayers in a delayed group and spent the night in Mash’ar, following the Sunnah of the Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace.
Despite the high temperatures in one of the hottest regions in the world, the pilgrims completed their stop at Upper Arafat, where the Prophet Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, delivered his farewell sermon.
numbers
Saudi Arabia announced that the total number of pilgrims this year reached 1,833,164 pilgrims, including 1,611,310 pilgrims who came from more than 200 countries, through various ports, and 221,854 pilgrims from citizens and residents, indicating that the number of males out of the general total reached 958,000. And 137 pilgrims, compared to 875 thousand and 27 pilgrims
The Statistics Authority stated that the percentage of pilgrims coming from Arab countries amounted to 22.3%, non-Arab Asian countries 63.3%, and African countries other than Arab countries 11.3%, while the percentage of pilgrims from European, American, Australian and other unclassified countries reached 3.2%, indicating that one million 546 thousand and 345 of them arrived. Through air ports, 60,251 pilgrims arrived via land ports, and 4,714 pilgrims arrived via sea ports.
It is noteworthy that the Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz He had previously ordered to host a thousand pilgrims from the families of the martyrs and wounded from Gaza strip The number of Palestinian pilgrims performing rituals this year has risen to two thousand people, according to the official Saudi News Agency (SPA).
On the other hand, Saudi Hajj Minister Tawfiq Al-Rabiah warned last week that “any political slogans” would not be tolerated, but that did not prevent one of the pilgrims, according to Agence France-Presse, from chanting in support of the Palestinians. Saying, “Pray for our brothers in Palestine and in Gaza. May God grant victory to the Muslims.”