MINA, 31 January 2004 — The valley of Mina yesterday reverberated with chants of “Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik” (O God, here I am answering your call) as two million pilgrims from around the world converged on the tent city, their first stop on the way to the Plain of Arafat for Haj climax today.
According to an official statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency, 1,419,706 pilgrims, 55 percent of whom are men, came for Haj this year from abroad, 16,083 less than last year. Airlines brought 1,252,612, some 143,436 traveled by road and 23,658 by ship, the statement said.
Once in the city and in their fireproof tents, the pilgrims busied themselves reciting the Holy Qur’an and performing prayers or with efforts to locate relatives. Many tried to catch some sleep after a tiring journey from Jeddah and Makkah that on average took five hours.
“Such delays are to be expected in this mass movement of people,” said Jassem Al-Hassani, a 34 -year-old businessman from Dubai. He said that he and his family had a difficult time circumambulating the Holy Kaaba in the center of Makkah’s Grand Mosque before starting for Mina on the first leg of the pilgrimage. “Now we are under the protection of Allah,” he remarked. He was delighted with the pleasant weather that greeted the pilgrims in Mina.
Hundreds of thousands attended the Friday prayer at the Grand Mosque before moving on to Mina. Some climbed atop buses or traveled in trucks. Scores of policemen directed the vehicles as they inched forward bumper to bumper, but no major incident was reported by late afternoon. “Everything is proceeding very well,” a police officer said.
“I have been waiting for this moment all my life,” said an excited US citizen, Riyad Ansari. His 13-year-old son Mosab was equally happy. “I am overwhelmed by this sea of white tents. My father did give me an idea about what to expect but then the picture in my mind’s eye was nowhere near what I experienced here today,” he said.
Iraqi pilgrims were the most outspoken. “We suffered a lot under Saddam Hussein and were afraid of saying anything which was not politically correct,” remarked 47-year-old Hassan Al-Jamhouri. While they may now travel freely for the Haj, Al-Jamhouri pointed out that in other ways things have become much worse for the average Iraqi. “At Arafat, we will beseech God to protect our country from falling apart,” he added and burst into tears.
Peace was uppermost in the mind of 45 -year-old Taiwanese pilgrim Mousa Ma Shan. “I am very happy to be here. Thanks be to Allah. Muslims are under a lot of pressure these days and just by coming here it has lifted our spirits. It is a great feeling to be a part of such a big community. Now I know I am not alone. All these people in ihram are my community and it gives me a great sense of relief,” he said in a voice choked with emotion.
The issue of terrorism did not weigh on the pilgrims’ minds. “I don’t understand why the media is harping on it,” said 30 -year-old Londoner Salamat Ali. “Haj is all about looking inward and seeking penance for the life gone by. Where does terrorism come into the picture here?” he asked. Thousands of pilgrims set up makeshift canvas shelters on the hills surrounding Mina. In keeping with tradition, the men were clad in a two-piece seamless white cloth, while the women were fully covered except for the hands and faces.
Today, the pilgrims will move toward Mount Arafat where the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) delivered his last sermon 14 centuries ago. The pilgrims will then return to Mina after spending the night in Muzdalifa. They will throw stones at Jamrat Al-Aqaba representing the devil and sacrifice animals to mark the Eid Al-Adha, which starts on Sunday and will spend the final two days in Mina to take part in the symbolic stoning of the devil.
