MINA, 30 January 2004 — If spirituality and peace could ever be personified then it is here — the Tent City in Mina surrounded by Jabal Al-Noor (Mountain of Light) and other hills, an abode of millions of Pilgrims who are all set to sacrifice their self to the Will of God.
Yes, there is a physical pain and numerous hardships associated with Haj, but in the end all are replaced by blessed serenity. The white tents stretching out in all direction in the city reflect peace and purity. There is no touch of violence, no terrorism. There is nothing but Islam — peace, love and purity.
A perspiring Gul Khan, 70, who is a resident of Peshawar, Pakistan, embodies that peace. He is tired, has a mild fever and is a little apprehensive; but to him it is the most blissful moment of his life. Khan is illiterate but he sums up his sojourn to the House of God: “It is an absolute culmination of human existence.”
Matiur Rahman, a Bangladeshi peasant from Khulna District is ecstatic. He expresses his joy with tears. “I have waited for this moment for years and finally I was summoned.”
There is no anger, no hot tempers and no arguments — things generally ingrained in the human psyche. Instead all around is tolerance at its peak, magnanimity at its best and total acceptance.
On the approach to Mina, a middle-aged Egyptian woman was crushed to death by a speeding vehicle. Her relatives will continue with the rituals. While distressed, they took solace in their acceptance of the will of God.
The tent city is not crowded yet as pilgrims have just started trickling in. However, it is already bubbling with life. All the arrangements have been completed to receive pilgrims, but the authorities are still fine-tuning the operations on site in order to make their stay more comfortable. Most motor vehicles have been banned from the vicinity except for two-wheelers, but government vehicles laden with goods can be seen hurrying from one section of the tents to another. Workers are busy checking and rechecking the water and electricity systems. The Civil Defense Department is in full preparation mode and ready to move within seconds.
Security around the tent city as well as throughout the route from Jeddah is massive — but with a difference. The security personnel are extra polite and cooperative. From Jeddah to Mina there are at least four checkpoints but the security officials have planned the checks in such a way that the traffic is constantly kept moving. Each checkpoint is monitored by officials from the Passports Department, National Guard and traffic department, as well as the police.
