At Arafat, the pilgrims instinctively raised their hands and prayed for the well-being of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Crown Prince Naif and other members of the establishment for pumping billions of riyals into creating massive infrastructure at the holy sites. Those who have been here before say things have changed phenomenally, all for the good of the pilgrims.

Ayub Athman is a Kenyan Muslim. He has been to Haj before. He spoke to Arab News minutes after arriving in Mina from Muzdalifah via the newly introduced Mashair train service.

“This is unbelievable,” he said. “I came here seven or eight years ago. At that time everybody would talk about stampedes and getting stuck in truck for hours. I remember not being able to reach Muzdalifah for seven hours after leaving Arafat that year. We would run in circles and our driver had no idea what to do next. He them dropped us off in Mina and vanished. We had to go back to Muzdalifah on foot and collect the mandatory pebbles to complete the stoning of the devil ritual.”

That was then, he says. “It is a totally different story. Nobody would have believed that we would one day have a train service here. Who would have imagined that a train service could run in this massive throng of people? Who would have thought of these elevated train tracks? It is simply a modern-day wonder. I kept gawking at the overhead trains as they zoomed past Mina on their way to Arafat,” said Athman.

Mohammad Imran, a 25-year-old Pakistani pilgrim from Bahawalpur, says credit must go to the Saudi leadership. “They never shied away from committing billions of riyals into such grand projects. It is because of their service to the Ummah that this place is heaven on earth. The general perception in the outside world is that Muslims are not capable of anything. But Saudis have proved all the skeptics wrong. This train service is the best example of their visionary zeal to help the pilgrims and make their stay comfortable.”

Imran says his elderly parents never miss an opportunity to pray for Saudi Arabia. “This is a citadel of Islam, and that is why there are many people in the outside world who get jittery when this nation progresses. All eyes are on this nation of Islam. May Allah protect it and may Allah shower all His bounties on this Kingdom and its people. We Pakistanis have a special bond with this country.”

Junaid Sajjad, an American pilgrim of Indian origin, says it is not easy to manage 3 million pilgrims. “This is a logistical challenge, and it is not for just one year, it takes place every year. It is an unending exercise. It is a daunting challenge. But look, the Saudis have pulled out all stops to make the journey of pilgrims as easy as possible. I am impressed. Very impressed,” he told Arab News.

Journalist Masoom Moradabadi agreed with Sajjad's views. “Saudi Arabia is a source of strength for the Muslim world. Whenever there is a crisis facing the Muslim world, it looks in this direction. Saudi Arabia has, through its wisdom and practical steps, made us hold our heads high. The Western media can say anything; the Saudis have earned the gratitude and prayers of all Muslims. Their hospitality is legendary. They go out of the way to help us. God bless them.”