In Makkah, Arab News met with a number of such pilgrims who were residing close to the Grand Mosque with plans to set out for Arafat after midnight.

“We managed to dodge security checks at the entry points. We are intending to move directly to the plains of Arafat for today’s standing, culminating in the climax of this year’s pilgrimage of Haj,” one of them said. 

Shahzad Akhtar, a Pakistani national living in Taif, told Arab News his belated decision to perform Haj forced him to set out for the pilgrimage without securing a Haj permit. Akhtar, who performed Haj several times earlier without papers, agrees that it is a burdensome journey.

“Strict security checks at the entry points were a blessing in disguise for those engaged in transporting pilgrims illegally into the holy city. They charge each pilgrim up to SR1,000. Most drivers of such vehicles ask pilgrims to walk for some distance before reaching entry points of Makkah to dodge security checks.”

Ibrahim Sharafuddeen, an Egyptian national working at a hotel in Makkah, said that he plans to perform Haj without a permit.

“I will set out for Arafat in the early hours of today without spending the night in the tent city of Mina. Strict measures taken to prevent squatting at Mina forces me to move directly to Mount Arafat,” he said.

Ibrahim Siddique, a Sudanese national who also performed Haj earlier, shared a different reason with Arab News for his intention to perform Haj without a permit: “My firm belief in God gave me sleepless nights whenever I remained at home during Haj days without performing the ritual. It was painful and boring for me to spend the Haj days at my place of residence without doing anything.” Abubakar Al-Hassan, a friend of Ibrahim, points out another reason for his repeating of Haj in an illegal way: “I repeat Haj as I am not sure whether I would be able to perform the ritual in future.”

A number of illegal pilgrims said that they have plans to spend the Haj days at the premises of big mosques at the holy sites, including Al-Khaif Mosque in Mina and Al-Namirah Mosque in Arafat.

They are not at all bothered about the disturbances caused to them due to spending five or six days of Haj at overcrowded public places, including mosques, pavements and roadsides under scorching sun or in the dusty air.

It is estimated that some 8,000 security officials have been deployed at Mina to prevent pilgrims from squatting at public places and pavements as well as to facilitate the smooth flow of pilgrims.