ARAFAT, 22 February - "Here I am at Thy service O God, here I am. Here I am at Thy service and Thou hast no partners. Thine alone is All Praise and All Bounty, and Thine alone is The Sovereignty. Thou hast no partners."
The talbiah or the traditional chant of pilgrims echoed off the hills surrounding the plain at Arafat. It is an assertion of the pilgrim's conviction that he intends to perform Haj only to glorify of Allah.
The sun was blinding, the heat intense and the faithful, especially the elderly, had to struggle to accomplish their acts of worship. Many pilgrims could be seen clustered around water misters, taking what relief they could from the high temperatures.
At Arafat, due to the huge crowds in a limited space, coping with the heat is always a challenge even in the best of weather. Dramatic improvements have been made at the site since the pilgrimages of the late 1980s. During those years no misting system was yet installed and pilgrims could be seen collapsing throughout the day, overcome by heat stroke.
All that has changed now. At a dispensary on the outskirts of Arafat, the medical staff was busy but not overwhelmed. Most of the pilgrims receiving treatment were quite elderly. Despite numerous advisories, pilgrims often underestimate the stamina that will be required to complete the acts of worship. They do not prepare their bodies in the months before Haj with proper nutrition and exercise to cope with the strain.
Azeem Khan, a 55-year-old Pakistani, had been quite ill earlier in the day and had gone for treatment. He was diagnosed with dehydration and was given several injections and copious amounts of water to drink. Despite being asked to spend the night, he refused and returned to the rituals.
"I was feeling better," said Khan. "I saw no need to stay. I paid SR7,000 to come for the Haj and I do not want to spend my time in a hospital bed."
Khan felt blest that this was the third Haj he had been able to perform. He wished that every Muslim would be given the opportunity to attend the pilgrimage at least once. His prayer at Arafat was that Pakistan and India would find a way to achieve lasting peace.
The day had started briskly, with a strong sense of anticipation. For those pilgrims who left shortly after dawn, the trip by vehicle to Arafat took nearly an hour. It is usually a 15 to 20 minute drive. Some pilgrims had insisted that the roofs of their buses be removed so they could experience the journey more fully. Many of the more able-bodied chose to walk between the two sites, a journey of two hours or more.
The water misters at Arafat not only cool the pilgrims, they help keep down the dust, a known vector for disease transmission. Mosquitoes had been a problem after dark at Mina but no insects were in sight at Arafat. The area had been pristine in the morning, but by afternoon it was heavily littered. People had taken to wearing protective masks in an attempt to limit the spread of viral infections.
Although many in the crowds were wearing white, it was a very colorful scene due to the proliferation of umbrellas and flags. Many of the umbrellas had been distributed by national airlines. The flags were either banners adorned with religious verses or standards of national identity. Group leaders carried the flags in an attempt to keep the pilgrims under their supervision together.
However, not all the identifying pennants were of the traditional sort. Some group leaders were holding aloft makeshift standards, such as a shoe nailed to a stick.
In another attempt to keep groups together, people were walking hand in hand, loudly chanting the talbiah. If someone got separated, it was realized immediately. The group would stop and an effort would quickly be made to locate the pilgrim. Every pilgrim was wearing an identifying bracelet. Most also had an identification card tucked into or pinned to their ihram. The bracelets and cards contained all their identifying details written in both English and Arabic.
The boy scouts were instrumental in keeping the situation at Arafat under control. During Haj the scouts are available from dawn until midnight. They are very well trained. At Arafat, scouts were directing traffic, distributing food and working to help the lost. Two locations for missing persons had been set up at Arafat. One was for adult pilgrims and the other was for children. Pilgrims quickly learned how helpful the scouts could be.
Arab News saw many lost and confused pilgrims speaking to the scouts. If the pilgrims could not speak Arabic, the scouts would take them to a group that did speak their language and could translate. They would ascertain the problem and then assist. The young men were truly impressive.
Even though prayer was supposed to be the focus of the day, commerce was still in evidence. Ten riyals seemed to be the purchase price of choice yesterday. Just about everything for sale was ten riyals.
Once again the beggars were out in force. At Arafat most of the beggars appeared to be cripples from Africa. Many stated that they were from areas infested with land mines. They claimed to have lost their limbs due to mine explosions. About every ten meters in high pedestrian traffic areas, a beggar could be found huddled on the ground, deformity in full view. No attempt was made by the authorities to oust them. Pilgrims gave generously to the cripples throughout the day and Arab News saw that many collected piles of cash, which they concealed on their persons.
Many companies were also giving generously at Arafat. Food, ice cream and frozen water packs were distributed from trucks and vans. Frequently, this was not well organized. A group of workers tossing ice cream bars from the back of a truck nearly caused a stampede as pilgrims rushed to catch the free treats. Frozen water packs were highly sought after. The pilgrims would hold the plastic-wrapped ice against their foreheads until it started to melt and then they would drink the deliciously cool water. There was no shortage of food. Prepared meals had been brought in from as far away as Jeddah to feed the crowds. Some food was cooked at Arafat, but many depended on box lunches of sandwiches, cookies, fruit and juice.
The amenities were not of the same standard as those that were available in Mina. This is partly due to space restrictions and also because the time spent at the location is quite limited. Provision for resting facilities largely depended on the pilgrim's contract with the tour operator. The resting areas were generally simple tent structures, open on one side. They had carpeting on the floor but little else inside. Pilgrims could be seen resting or eating in these tents. The camp managers kept tight control over which pilgrims were allowed to use the shelters. Arab News saw many individuals and even some groups being escorted out of shelters that they had occupied without permission.
There were many touching scenes throughout the day. Some pilgrims had come in family groups where three generations of relatives were performing the pilgrimage together, the young men caring for older aunts and grandfathers. Some couples were walking together, sharing guidebooks for the rituals, immersed in prayer. It was humbling to see the many aged Muslims, perhaps on the final journey of their lifetimes, practically overwhelmed with the spiritual atmosphere.
Tiny and wrinkled, Chen Jung, 62 years old, was one of these. He had come for Haj from China with his daughter and son-in-law. Jung told Arab News that where he lives in China, he cannot be very vocal about being a Muslim because it might jeopardize his retirement benefits.
"It had been my life's dream to come for Haj and it has finally come true," he said. "In China more people are discovering Islam, but it is all very secret. Many people who are not Muslims respect our religion. I thank Allah and pray that all Muslims and all my children and their children get the chance to experience Haj."
Another older pilgrim, Hamoud Al-Raboee, a Yemeni was making his first Haj, too. He had come overland with a group. It had taken them three days to reach Makkah from Yemen and he had paid the tour operator SR3,000.
"Everything here is so good," said Al-Raboee. "We have had no problems. Things have moved very smoothly. The preparations this year are impeccable. I must give the highest praise to the Saudi government and the people who are here serving us. All the free food, water, Holy Qur'an and other comforts that are being distributed to us here at Arafat show that the people of the Kingdom understand the true nature of Islam. May Allah bless all the pilgrims here today and all Muslims."
