MINA, 21 January 2005 — Alhamdullilah, everything went well. No sirens, nothing. The pilgrims, having prayed on Wednesday at Arafat, then spent the night at Muzdalifa where they collected pebbles so they could stone Jamarat Al-Aqaba in Mina. In past years, the bridge the pilgrims come to created problems, and dropped baggage often led to injuries and sometimes deaths. All the pilgrims come straight to the bridge. As reported earlier, a new plan was put into effect this year in which agents from the various establishments take the pilgrims’ baggage before they arrive at the bridge. No pilgrims were allowed to take baggage to the bridge this year and what once was dangerous this year was orderly and without significant incident. The new pillars are indeed huge. They are now elliptical in shape, and give the pilgrims a target the size of a wall at which to throw. Saudi authorities have finally gotten control of the Jamarat, and they probably have prevented many accidents this year. The Haj Research Center has done a very good job of identifying the problems and coming up with this excellent plan. Everyone, especially those who have performed Haj in the past, is grateful to the authorities for making this Haj the most organized one in recent history.
The tawafa establishments are making every effort to serve the pilgrims, even if it takes some long-distance assistance. Muhammad Nawaz Ali, an Urdu-speaking pilgrim from a small town in India, became separated from his wife. Confused and upset, he went through the massive crowd looking for someone who spoke his language so he could get to tell them about his problem and some help. He found me, and soon we were using my mobile phone to call the only number he had with him, which was for the Al-Habib Tour Agency office back in India. The first thing he asked the person who answered was “Where’s my wife?” The answer from the Subcontinent was predictable: “I have no idea where your wife is!” But the call turned out to be worthwhile because in a few minutes, the tour group agent called back with a number for the group’s guide in Mina. Once located, he was escorted back to his camp, where he and his wife, who also had been very upset, had a tearful reunion.
Haj is a very individual experience. For one translator it may have gotten a little too personal. About 2,500 pilgrims from Afghanistan were surprised when they presented their prepaid vouchers to a slaughterhouse in Mina and were told they would have to pay again. Furious, they demanded to see the agent from their establishment. Who they found, however, was Haji Siddiq, a Pashtun translator. Translators are good at translating, especially if there is someone for whom to translate. His fellow Afghans would have none of that, and Siddiq was taking the full brunt of his countrymen’s anger. When last seen he was literally begging someone to come to his assistance as he was becoming nervous about the ferocity of his colleagues.
Most people, however, are very happy when they slaughter sheep and have their heads shaved. Then they take off their white garments and return to their colorful clothes. Their mood turns to one of both elation and jubilation. The pilgrims are happy that they have completed this most important of rituals.
Everywhere you go you see pilgrims hugging each other, smiling and scratching their bald pates and rolling their palms across their heads. They socialize and meet fellow Hajis from around the world. Then they call back home to announce their success. “Mabrouk” is an often-heard word at this time.
The weather for this Haj has been cold, overcast and breezy, making it challenging for some of the older pilgrims and those from warmer climes. But today, the weather began to cooperate, and by noon, the sun was shining down on the millions of pilgrims. Although it wasn’t hot, it was less windy than Wednesday. It was almost as if the moderation of the weather was nature’s way of saying “Haj Mubarak.”
