MINA, 31 January 2004 — This year’s pilgrimage is off to a magnificent start thanks in part to the cool weather. There is a strong presence from the security forces and other government ministries. It is clear that the Kingdom is doing everything possible to enable the Haj to proceed in an atmosphere of safety and peace.
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Arriving in Mina we were greeted by the Indian and Pakistani flags flying together on King Abdul Aziz and King Khaled bridges. The flags had been hoisted to show Indian and Pakistani pilgrims the areas where their camps were located. However, it also put out the message that this is a good time for relations on the subcontinent and the symbolism of the two nations coming together could not be missed. It was a pleasure to watch the green of the Pakistani flag fluttering against the Indian tricolor.
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Last night, Mina was a quiet refuge from the hustle and bustle of Makkah. It was not to last. By dawn the trickle of incoming pilgrims had turned into a flood. Sadly, many wore an air of confused desperation. Too many pilgrims were unable to locate their camps amid the sea of white tents. If only we’d had some sort of map to assist them! They kept stopping us and asking the way to their temporary lodgings. All the camps are numbered, but the exact division of the tent city is not clear. Knowing just the camp number it is impossible to find any specific location.
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About half the pilgrims have cell phones and these devices have provided them with a false sense of security. When a pilgrim is lost he has a tendency to telephone his group leader for instructions. Unfortunately since most pilgrims have absolutely no idea of the geography of Mina they can neither give a clear description of their location nor are they able to follow directions to their camps. The only useful point is that their group leader knows they are lost. Meanwhile, the increase in mobile telephone users is putting enormous stress on STC’s network. It already takes several attempts to get a call to go through and it is almost impossible to maintain a connection for any length of time. The reception over the line keeps breaking up and most of the call consists of shouting back and forth, “Say that again. I can’t hear you!”
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The mobile phones are also a terrible distraction for pilgrims. Instead of turning off their mobile phones most of the time and only turning them on for an hour or two at night, the pilgrims leave them on constantly. During Friday prayers at Masjid Al-Qaif handsets were ringing throughout the devotions. This made it impossible to concentrate on the sermon.
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The winner of the 2004 King Faisal Foundation International Prize for Islamic Studies, Dr. Ali Ahmad Ghulam Muhammad Nadvi, has arrived in Mina for the pilgrimage. He is very excited to be a participant this year. He stated that this Haj is a thanksgiving for winning the prize. “It is all because of Allah that I received this honor,” he remarked. “This Haj is like an investment in the Hereafter for me.” Accompanied by his son Bilal, Nadvi is mobbed wherever he goes. He is only the fourth Indian to win the prize and he has become a celebrity among his countrymen. In Mina, a group of Egyptians discovered that he was among them. While they did not recognize him on sight, once he was pointed out to them the handshakes and congratulations began. Nadvi said he was overwhelmed by the pilgrims’ response. While he thanked them for their congratulations, he advised them that he does not see this prize as the culmination of his studies. He is doing new work in the field of Islamic jurisprudence, which he believes will be of significance to Muslims globally.
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At midday, the pilgrims were granted mercy from the harsh rays of the sun, as the sky became dappled with clouds. Until early afternoon, the sun played hide and seek with the clouds and the mountains, leaving much of the area in diffused light. However, there is a possibility that the good weather will not continue. Rain is expected for the next two days and the temperature may fall dramatically. With that in mind, one of the Kingdom’s prominent Islamic scholars, Abdullah Al-Mutlaq has issued a fatwa allowing the pilgrims to drape blankets over their ihram at Mina, although they must keep their heads and faces exposed. Al-Mutlaq said that usually the pilgrims are not allowed to cover their bodies with anything except the ihram during Haj, but Islam is a merciful religion and in times of necessity, exceptions must be made.
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Despite the huge number of pilgrims, the crowds remain healthy. Dr. Amin Mishkas, director of Disease Prevention and Control at the Ministry of Health, stated that except for some cases of ordinary influenza, he has come across no contagious illnesses among the pilgrims. He also said that undue importance should not be given to the expected drop in temperatures as the weather itself does not bring disease. In any case, the ministry is well prepared to handle any health emergency.
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An emergency of a different sort is potentially developing on bridges and underpasses surrounding the tent city. Pilgrims without permits are squatting in these areas. The efforts of the police to move them are in vain. Many of them came into Makkah a few days before access to the holy city was closed to all except permit holders. Once inside Makkah they changed into ihram and are now making a nuisance of themselves in the public thoroughfares. More must be done to control this problem. While no one is suggesting that these pilgrims without permits be dealt with aggressively at the moment, the truth is that they are a health and safety hazard in the area.
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As the crowds swell, movement is becoming more difficult. The drive from Jeddah to Mina yesterday took almost two hours; today local pilgrims stated that the same drive took six hours. Some pilgrims are also unaware that they should remain in their camps, engaging in prayer and resting for the trials to come. Some pilgrims have been visiting the Jamrat area and in their excitement hurl stones near the pillars. The police try to discourage such activity and are moving any such people away from the Jamrat area rapidly. Keeping the pilgrims warm, rested and fed is foremost on the minds of the authorities. If the rains do come, efficient crowd control will be essential to prevent accidents and help the pilgrims complete the rituals on time.
