MINA: More than two million faithful ritually stoned the devil yesterday in the last major rite of Haj in Saudi Arabia, while fellow believers around the world celebrated Eid Al Adha, the feast of sacrifice.
The failthful included almost 1.4 million from abroad, according to statistics published by the official Saudi Press Agency. The balance of almost 700,000 came from within the kingdom.
The stoning took place in the Mina valley, about 5km east of the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah. All roads leading to the town were blocked as the crowds dressed in white flowed into the area to toss pebbles at one of three walls representing Satan. The pilgrims will stone two other sites today and tomorrow as the Haj concludes.
They collected the stones at Muzdalifah on the way to Mina, for the ritual. Pilgrims had moved to Mina overnight on foot, motorbikes, and buses from Mount Arafat after the Haj reached its zenith with a day of prayer, as well as tears by pilgrims moved by the sanctity of the spot where Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is believed to have given his final sermon 14 centuries ago.
With the end of Haj approaching, men shaved their heads before taking off their ihram clothes, leaving locks scattered on the ground. Women cut off small strands of their hair. In conjunction with the stoning, the faithful offer sacrifices by slaughtering a sheep, whose meat goes to the needy.
Meanwhile, a total of about 1.5 billion Muslims around the world celebrated Eid. Hundreds gathered for prayers in front of the Al Aqsa mosque compound. The Haj officially ends tomorrow. AFP
