MAKKAH, 8 February 2003 — On the last Friday prayers before Haj, tens of thousands of pilgrims crammed into the streets surrounding the Grand Mosque.

Their extraordinary diversity was represented by the kaleidoscope of colors, cultures, nationalities and backgrounds.

The pilgrims, who have arrived from more than 170 countries, joined together in prayers for peace. All pilgrims interviewed by Arab News said they were praying especially for the people of Iraq.

More than 16,000 Iraqi pilgrims have arrived in Makkah so far.

One Iraqi man wearing a chequered Arab headdress who was haggling over the price of prayer beads was defiant at the prospect of a third war in Iraq in two decades.

“We are not afraid of America and we are not worried,” he said.

“America has nuclear weapons. We have our faith. We are stronger,” he said, pointing to the shrine.

“This is not a war on Iraq’s regime, but a war on the Iraqi people — as they are the ones who will suffer,” said Mohammed Ibrahim, an Egyptian.

“There is a clear sense of solidarity with the Iraqi people,” said Reem Mohammed Al-Faisal, who is photographing the Haj along with Reza of the National Geographic and Abbas of Magnum.

“I had a chance to meet a lot of Iraqi pilgrims and they are just wonderful. They are feisty, boisterous, and they give you no hint of what is coming to their country. They smile and spread cheer all around.”

Every square foot of ground space surrounding the Grand Mosque was occupied by a pilgrim resting, sleeping, praying, eating, playing with children or reading the Qur’an. All around them and stepping over them were yet more pilgrims with their shoes or sandals in hand slowly and arduously making their way toward a sanctuary of rest of their own.

For many, that place to rest and pray came in the form of a bus. Dozens of pilgrims climbed on top of the parked SAPTCO buses, unrolled their prayer mats and commenced their duties before Allah.

Sheikh Saud Al-Shuraim, the imam and khateeb of the Grand Mosque, called upon pilgrims to show mercy and benevolence to fellow pilgrims in his Friday sermon. The Prophet has banned the pushing and pulling of fellow pilgrims while performing Haj duties.

“We should respect the feelings of others and keep away from all activities that undermine the sanctity of Haj,” the imam said. Shuraim also said that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) performed the Haj only once in his lifetime. He was apparently urging Muslims not to repeat the Haj, and thus create unnecessary overcrowding at the holy sites.

Saudi Arabia’s top cleric also lashed out at “enemies of Islam” ahead of the annual pilgrimage.

“The Ummah (nation) is facing many challenges from its enemies,” Sheikh Abdul Azizal-Sheikh, the Saudi Grand Mufti, was quoted as saying in a lecture here. “They claim that the Ummah is terrorist, violent and does not respect treaties,” he said, without identifying the enemies he had in mind.

“They are liars... Our religion is the faith of mercy and has been established on noble values. Our enemies want to spread in the Ummah the spirit of extremism, which deviates people from the right path.”

The mufti, the highest religious authority in the Kingdom, appealed for Muslim unity as well as calm.