MINA, 24 February — Almost two million pilgrims continued the ritual of stoning the pillars representing Satan at Mina for the second day yesterday as the authorities said the first day passed off without incident.
The pilgrims yesterday threw seven small stones at each of the three giant pillars symbolizing Satan to cries of Allahu Akbar. The stoning continues in the same fashion today and tomorrow.
The police handling the crowds were much more stressed and had to work harder to direct the ocean of Muslims that engulfed the Jamrat area in waves. It was extremely hot with the midday temperature at 37 degrees.
Many elderly pilgrims were unable to cope. As they succumbed to the strain, first aid was administered and they were rushed to clinics. In an attempt to give the pilgrims the greatest assistance, volunteers from the Ministry of Haj were positioned at street corners distributing leaflets detailing telephone numbers and locations for emergency services, dispensaries, post offices, lost and found, and a host of other facilities.
The pilgrims had gone to Makkah on Friday to perform Tawaf Al-Ifada but about 25 percent of them still wore their Ihram yesterday instead of regular clothing. The Grand Mosque was very congested. Some pilgrims were loaded down with baggage and were clearly not returning to Mina. One group of Bangladeshis explained that they were leaving Makkah a day early on a journey to Madinah. Otherwise they would be unable to visit the Prophet’s Mosque before they had to catch their plane home.
Another group of elderly Yemenis stated that they had deputized others to perform the stoning on their behalf. They had been advised that this was preferable due to their weak physical condition. So they had chosen to leave Mina and move to Makkah.
The restaurants and beggars in Makkah were the primary recipients of the pilgrims’ largess. The fast food restaurants were overwhelmed. Queues stretched out their doors. The beggars were both inside and outside the Grand Mosque. Few of them were Arabs. Most communicated their requests for alms by whining out religious phrases or holding up one finger indicating one riyal. The beggars had a habit of placing themselves on the pavement in high traffic areas. One beggar, who had arranged his crippled legs in front of him, nearly had them run over by a police vehicle that came into the area on official business.
Back in Mina the pilgrims were joyous and appeared to be in the mood to spend a little cash. This sent the trash situation spiraling out of control. Empty water bottles, juice boxes, food wrappers, shoes, plastic bags, anything and everything was thrown on the ground in Mina. There were garbage cans situated every few meters, but many pilgrims didn’t even pay attention to them and simply discarded their trash anywhere.
The litter problem was not only unsightly, it also created an overwhelming stench in the area and attracted flies as the trash degraded in the open.
The Haj economy was in full swing. Everything imaginable was available. Toys, umbrellas, clothing, prayer beads, Islamic literature and tapes were everywhere. Men from Africa and Indonesia gathered around the vendors selling traditional caps. Flashy costume jewelry displays were popular with the women. Cigarettes were sold for 7-10 riyals per packet.
The health of the pilgrims was weakening as the strain and excitement of the event took its toll. Arab News saw one Indonesian lady faint and fall to the ground. Her mahram was at her side in an instant, reviving her with cool water and murmuring soothing prayers. Medics arrived a few minutes later.
The medical team stated that this was nothing out of the ordinary. Dehydration, sunstroke and sunburn were the most common conditions they were treating. In addition, many elderly pilgrims suffering from exhaustion were being brought to clinics. There was no water misting system at Mina to reduce the ambient temperature so thousands of free ice packs and bottles of water were being distributed.
The beggars were not only operating at the Grand Mosque, they were active in Mina, too. Some beggars began resorting to using their children to solicit alms. Arab News saw one African woman who was directing her two toddlers to approach pilgrims in order to collect alms. The little boy and girl were dressed charmingly. Their sparkling eyes and shy smiles were irresistible. It was very hard for any pilgrim not to press a riyal or two into their open palms. The toddlers immediately handed the bills over to their mother and went back to get more.
While all pilgrims performing Haj dressed the same, their living standards during the event varied enormously. All the tents at Mina would be described as comfortable. However, for those pilgrims willing to pay, every possible extra could be had. Some groups paid SR30-40,000 for accommodation for the five days. It was true that the wealthy hired these lavish tents, but it was also noted that middle class families had leased these luxury accommodations as well. In most of the latter cases the reason was that frail, elderly family members were being brought for the journey of a lifetime. It was hoped that soft beds, better meals, private washrooms and other comforts would allay their exhaustion.
Qawafil Al-Haramain was one of these luxury pilgrimage tour operators. They stated that they received many special requests such as coffee and tea service for those dignitaries who would be receiving guests. Some businessmen asked for televisions, facsimile machines or Internet service. Whatever the request was, they handled it.
Prince Fahd ibn Khaled was performing Haj this year and he was using the services of Qawafil Al-Haramain for the first time. He was enthusiastic about them and stated that he would contract them again in the future. He said that he was very pleased with the facilities and services they had provided. Everything was exactly as he had requested it.
“I came for Haj last year and in just twelve months the changes are dramatic,” commented Prince Fahd. “From the quality of the food available to the general organization, everything is much improved. This is what we need every year, for the services and facilities to get better and better. It shows teamwork and the implementation of new ideas and technologies. We also must focus now on educating the pilgrims before they arrive on how to make the best use of the facilities and services in which the government is investing.”
Samir Hassan Khushaim, a general and pilot in the Saudi Air Force, was also using the services of Qawafil Al-Haramain. The last time he performed the Haj was 22 years ago. This time, as he was bringing his family, he felt that it was his duty to do everything within his power to make sure that the experience was a positive one for them.
“I believe that the authorities have done everything possible to guarantee the safety and security of the pilgrims,” said Khushaim. “What we need now is to concentrate on better organization of the rituals. There should be improvement in the control of the flow of traffic at peak periods. The stoning ritual must be made more systematic. It is natural that we should make improvements year after year.”
