Rumors, rumors, rumors. With no horrifying news to report this year, people actually began creating sensational reports on their own. Rumors are currently the bane of our existence in Mina. Thursday night, after a very long day, we were about to go to bed when the phone rang. There was an unconfirmed report that 200 pilgrims had just died at the Jamrat. No sirens could be heard and the area was completely calm, but we had to investigate the alleged incident. One wasted hour later, after calling our sources to verify that all was well in Mina, we finally were able to close our eyes. Radio and television stations should refrain from discussing any rumors about tragedy at Haj. They should hold back such reports until the information is confirmed by official sources.
Bright colors blazed through Mina’s white landscape yesterday. Almost all had changed into their native dress and the women seemed to be celebrating the Eid by wearing scarves and wraps in rainbow hues. We were particularly attracted by a group from Shiraz, Iran, who were holding colorful banners as they went off to stone the Jamrat. Yesterday, for the first time during this pilgrimage, the sun was out in its full glory. However, there was a nice breeze blowing across the valley all day, so the weather was quite pleasant. The health of the pilgrims has been improving thanks to heavier clothing and better weather and medical teams have begun to relax a bit now that the initial onslaught of respiratory illnesses has been controlled.
In fact a definite sense of happiness was in the air yesterday. People who had performed Haj in other years stated that they had been worried about how the Saudi authorities would manage the event for the future. Thanks to this year’s marvelous arrangements all those fears have been put aside. While one additional layer was added to the Jamrat Bridge, another nine decks are to be added in the future. Over the next few years nine layers in total will be added. The Haj authorities stated that this work must be completed rapidly because they expect increasing numbers of pilgrims to arrive in Mina over the coming decade.
With the excellent environment at the Haj this year, Abdullah Abdulrahman, a Kuwaiti journalist, stated that there should be a vote of gratitude for the Saudi government’s attention to making this event a success. “The media always pillories the authorities when there is a problem at the Haj. This year there is only good news to report. Muslims everywhere should express their thanks to the Saudi leaders for giving such overwhelming attention to the pilgrimage at a time when their focus must be divided between many other serious concerns in the region.”
Yesterday, the pilgrims began getting back to the business of everyday life. There was huge demand for newspapers in all languages. Thousands of copies of Arab News were snapped up by the pilgrims both for news and as a souvenir of the day. Frenzied commercial activity is under way throughout Mina. High quality digital Azan Clocks are popular items this year. These clocks feature the accurate Azan time in any city worldwide. Sri Lankan pilgrims said they like the clock because it enables them to hear the Azan of the Holy Haram after leaving Makkah.
African women are selling costume jewelry that is popular with all women. These beaded creations are beautiful works of art and cost very little. One of the most amusing things was to see Pakistani women buying scarves very similar to ones available back home. Asked about their purchases the women explained that what was bought wasn’t important, but buying it in Mina was very important. South Asian Haj organizations are giving their pilgrims souvenirs including small document bags, Islamic literature and diaries.
It is extremely strange that there aren’t any souvenirs of Saudi Arabia, Mina or Haj 1425 on sale. The only really Saudi souvenirs are postage stamps, postmarks and of course newspapers.
The boy scouts have provided excellent service this year as usual. Boy scouts with wheelchairs are prowling Mina. If they find a lost pilgrim they settle the man or woman in the wheelchair and then make note of the information on the identification band on the pilgrim’s wrist. Every ID band gives the name of the muttawif organization and the scouts know where those offices are in Mina. They first take the lost pilgrim by wheelchair to the respective muttawif’s office and from there they are directed on to the pilgrim’s tent. This superb service has enabled many elderly pilgrims to be easily reunited with their groups.
While the boy scouts are reducing confusion this year, there are obviously some individuals who have been engaged in mass misinformation. A large number of pilgrims left Mina immediately after the first stoning of the Great Satan. Meeting some of those pilgrims as they were leaving the area, they explained that they were informed that stoning after the first day at Mina was not wajib. This is unfortunately incorrect and shows that there is still a need to find ways to clarify the Haj rituals. Many pilgrims did leave Mina at least for part of the evening to go to Makkah. Transport firms were doing a booming business covering the five kilometers between the two cities.
