Throngs of devout believers have commenced the emblematic devil-stoning ritual in Saudi Arabia, signifying the concluding days of Hajj and heralding the Eid al-Adha festivities for Muslims globally.
Hajj pilgrims partook in the Jamrat ritual, symbolically pelting the devil with stones, in Mina on Tuesday. (AN photo)
MINA, Saudi Arabia – On Sunday, legions of pilgrims converged in Saudi Arabia for the traditional devil-stoning rite. This ceremony concludes the Hajj pilgrimage and kicks off the global Eid al-Adha celebrations for Muslims.
This stoning act is one of the final stages of Hajj, a cornerstone of Islam’s Five Pillars. It followed a massive assembly on Mount Arafat, near Mecca, where over 1.8 million pilgrims gathered for the sacred five-day Hajj rituals.
On Saturday evening, pilgrims departed Mount Arafat, heading to the Muzdalifa site to gather pebbles for the symbolic stoning of the devil’s representations.
These pillars are located in Mina, another holy site, where Muslims believe Ibrahim’s faith faced a crucial test when commanded by God to sacrifice his son Ismail. Ibrahim prepared to obey, but God intervened, sparing his son. In Christianity and Judaism, Abraham is instead instructed to sacrifice Isaac.
Pilgrims will spend three more days in Mina, navigating pedestrian streets to a complex with large pillars, casting seven pebbles each at three pillars to symbolically renounce evil and sin.
While in Mina, they visit Mecca for “tawaf,” circling the Kaaba seven times counterclockwise in the Grand Mosque. The Farewell Tawaf, another circumambulation marking the end of Hajj, follows as pilgrims prepare to leave Mecca.
The rites also mark the four-day Eid al-Adha, or “Feast of Sacrifice,” where financially able Muslims commemorate Ibrahim’s test by slaughtering livestock and distributing meat to the needy.
Post-Hajj, men shave their heads and discard the white garments, while women trim a lock of hair, signifying renewal and new beginnings.
Most pilgrims then journey to Medina, some 340 kilometers (210 miles) away, to pray at the Prophet Muhammad’s tomb, located within the Sacred Chamber, which is part of his mosque – one of Islam’s three holiest sites, alongside Mecca’s Grand Mosque and Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa Mosque.
Every Muslim must undertake Hajj at least once in their lifetime if financially and physically able. Many affluent Muslims undertake multiple pilgrimages. The rituals celebrate the stories of Prophet Ibrahim, his son Ismail, Ismail’s mother Hajar, and Prophet Muhammad as chronicled in the Quran.
Saudi Hajj and Umrah Minister Tawfiq bin Fawzan al-Rabiah reported over 1.83 million Muslims performed Hajj in 2024, slightly down from last year’s 1.84 million.
Most Hajj rituals are conducted outdoors, often with minimal shade. They occur during the second week of Dhu al-Hijjah, the final month of the Islamic lunar calendar, making their timing variable. This year, Hajj coincided with the scorching Saudi summer, with temperatures at Mount Arafat peaking at 47°C (116.6°F) on Saturday.
This year’s Hajj unfolds amid the harrowing Israel-Hamas conflict, threatening a broader regional war.
Palestinians in Gaza couldn’t travel to Mecca for Hajj due to the Rafah crossing closure in May, following Israel’s extended offensive. They also face disruptions in celebrating Eid al-Adha as in previous years.
Meanwhile, in Sudan, a prolonged conflict between rival generals has caused widespread devastation, claiming countless lives and displacing over 10 million people.
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